Uno de los ingredientes básicos de la cocina peruana es la pasta de ají amarillo. No me refiero con esto a la que encuentras envasada en las tiendas, aunque es lo más fácil. Los cocineros (tanto profesionales como caseros) en todo el país hacen sus propias pastas de ají amarillo -o de ají panca o mirasol- casi a diario, pues son parte de casi todas las recetas. Hay algunos a quienes no les gusta el picante de los ajíes. Otros lo aman y usan sus ajíes crudos para que sean más potentes. Yo te recomiendo que los blanquees primero y luego pélalos (porque la cáscara le da una textura un poco áspera y un sabor ácido a la pasta). Si buscas el color y el sabor del ají pero sin el picante, tienes que blanquearlo tres veces cambiando el agua cada vez que hierve. Esto te dará como resultado una pasta de ají amarillo muy suave pero con el bellísimo color y el perfume que le son característicos. Usa esta pasta en cualquier receta que te indique pasta de ají amarillo, como en el ají de gallina, causa, y la salsa huancaína, por ejemplo.
Puedes ponerle una pizca de sal a la pasta de ají y servirla así nomás sobre papas hervidas o con palitos de yuca frita. Si le agregas cebollita china picadita tendrás una excelente salsa para los anticuchos.
También puedes leer: Guiso de Trigo – Básico En La Dieta
Esta pasta se congela maravillosamente en cubitos de hielo. Cuando están bien duros transfiérelos a bolsas y cierra bien. Conserva hasta por tres meses. Es lo mejor que puedes tener en tu congeladora.
1.- Para comenzar compra ajíes frescos en el mercados. Si solo hay congelados, puedes usarlos perfectamente.
Lee también: Anticuchos de Corazón – Sabor en Palitos
2.- Córtalos por la mitad a lo largo y descarta semillas y venas. Para hacer eso protégete las manos del picante del ají usando guantes de plástico. Hagas lo que hagas, no los toques.
3.- Cocina los ajíes en agua caliente pero no hirviendo por unos 5 – 10 minutos, cambiando el agua tres veces.
4.- Escurre y enfría. Pela los ajíes así como ves en la foto. Es super fácil porque la piel se desprende sola.
5.- Pon todos los ajíes en la licuadora, agrega un par de cucharadas de agua o de aceite y procesa hasta que estén bien cremosos. !Y listo! Ya tienes una pasta de ají amarillo de campeonato.
Ahora estás listo para hacer la mayoría de las recetas peruanas que requieren del vibrante color y delicioso sabor de este ingrediente.
Cómo Hacer Pasta de Ají Amarillo| Ají Amarillo | Hacer Pasta de Ají Amarillo |COMIDA PERUANA | COMIDA | PERUDELICIAS
I wish I could get my hands on some Aji peppers so I could make this. I love the flavor of these chiles.
Easy, very easy to grow. Can send some seeds if you pay shipping. Or, I can have a friend mail them to you when they retun to he states. I do not live in the US any more.
Thanks Lily. We have grown aji amarillo plants several times too. Delicious!
Wonderful! Nothing really can be substituted for this unique flavor…..
These peppers actually have three different dimensions. When green, they are crunchy, are moist and sweet; when they start turning light green, they switch to being mildly hot; and, when they turn orange (even though called yellow aji) they get their unique flavor and a bit extra heat. In a good location, these plants can grow 30″ to 36″ tall. All peppers are perennials and I have one plant that is four years old. Another great choice is manzano (purple flower and black seeds).
this is obviously a long shot but here goes. Are you by any chance still able to get seeds? I got some but they were bogies. id love to grow some 20 years since I was in Peru eating the real thing.
Hi there, I could send you some. Mine are fairly mild chilli wise, but may produce more heat in your climate.
I get my aji plants from the chiliwoman.com she has nearly every type of aji peruano.
Local market has manzano. I’m going to try those.
Grow your own. It’s very easy indeed.
Can you tell me the best way to do this if I’m using DRIED adi peppers?
aji
Can I get some seeds shipped to india?
Has anyone tried using aji jarred in brine to make paste? Jarred is the only way I’ve found them sold around here. Nice part would be not having to cook them…they peel very easily!
I just saw a YouTube video on making this and it called for one red and one yellow roasted pepper, some oil, and cayenne. Maybe it’s a decent substitute for the ahi peppers. I’m trying it tomorrow so we shall see. However I’ve only had this at a local Peruvian restaurant so I won’t know exactly sure how it compares to an authentic recipe.
I love Peruvian peppers and i actually found this natural aji Amarillo pepper mash from the Magic Plant company . it come in a glass jar. very good flavor. http://www.magicplantshop.com
If you’re using the paste in a recipe that calls for one pepper, how much paste equals one pepper?
It all depends on how hot is the paste. Start with 1/2 teaspoon.
Where can I buy the Aji peppers or seeds in the SF Bay Area?
I would love to also get my hands on some choclo.
thanks
I just found some frozen ones at Mi Tierra market on San Pablo ave. in Berkeley
That’s why I’m here:( they are so beautiful but I had no idea what to do:(
Muy buena la receta la prepare
hi. in nyc there are a number of good Peruvian restaurants, but we like to cook at home.
all the aji amarillo paste that I have seen has preservatives. I’ve yet to find fresh or dried in the markets.
Is there a recipe to make aji amarillo paste from aji amarillo powder, as that is easier to find in nyc.
The clearness in your post is essentially great and that I can accept you’re educated in Aji Amarillo Paste. Incredible, much obliged for sharing this article post.
There are hundreds of chillies around the world that you can try, but none of them will leave a mark on your heart like Aji amarillo!
How long can I have the yellow pepper on he freezer ?
Cuánto tiempo puedo congelar el ají amarillo ?
Hi Romina, it all depends on how well it’s frozen but normally people say it’s safe to freeze a sauce for 6 months.
Hi, thanks for the recipe. I have a big crop of ajies amarillos. Some recipe pages have a print option. Your does not. This means that a one page recipe can use up 5 pages unless you go through the effort of cropping and cutting photos, wrapping text, etc. I don’t know what you gain from not having a print option, but maybe in future supply it. I don’t always have time for the extra editing work and there are other sites with recipes.
I found that peruvian pepper plants, amarillo, limo, rocoto, panca are perennials and very easy to «winter», in the winter, prune them and keep them in a place where they are not exposed to excessive cold, and most probably they will come back biger and stronger next spring. I have a rocoto plant that is 9 years old, and several amarillo and limo 4 or 5 years old.
Happy ceviches!
I would love to have some ají amarillo seeds to plant