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Shito
Shito: Ghana's dark chilli oil with dried fish and shrimp
Shito is the black pepper sauce that sits on every Ghanaian table and travels in every student's suitcase. Onions, ginger and garlic are cooked down slowly in a lot of oil with ground dried shrimp, smoked dried fish and chilli until the mixture turns almost black, rich and crunchy-savoury. A spoonful lifts kenkey, waakye, jollof rice, eggs or plain bread. The mistake almost everyone makes the first time is cooking it on high heat: it scorches and turns bitter. Low and slow is the whole secret. Chef's tip: stir the bottom of the pot every few minutes in the last half hour, when it darkens fastest.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 1 ½ cups vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Add the blended 3 onions, 2 ⅛ oz fresh ginger and 8 cloves garlic carefully; the oil will spit.
2 minStep 2: Cook over a medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the water has cooked off and the paste is golden brown.
20 minStep 3: Stir in 3 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes until it darkens.
5 minStep 4: Add 2 ⅛ oz smoked dried fish (or dried herring), 2 ⅛ oz dried shrimp, 4 tbsp ground dried red chilli, 1 shrimp or chicken stock cube, ½ tsp ground aniseed and 1 tsp salt. Turn the heat to low.
2 minStep 5: Cook for 30–35 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom, until the sauce is very dark brown, almost black, and smells toasty, and the oil sits clear on top.
33 minStep 6: Leave to cool completely in the pot, then spoon into clean, dry jars, making sure the solids are covered by a layer of oil.
Step 7: Always use a clean, dry spoon. Shito keeps in the fridge for up to 2 months; throw it away if it smells rancid or shows mould.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shito take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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