Peri Peri, the globetrotter chili pepper!
The chili pepper that completely transformed kitchens worldwide.
Peri-peri (/ˌpɪri ˈpɪri/ PIRR-ee-PIRR-ee, or Piri Piri as we call it in Portuguese, is a cultivar of Capsicum frutescens. Do not be mistaken, because not all peppers from the Capsicum family are spicy hot, the bell peppers you use in your family meals are also part of this family.
A globalization phenomenon
Chili peppers are pretty much a staple in almost every worldwide household, but it wasn´t always like this. All chili peppers are originally native to South America, where people have been cultivating them for the past 6.000 years. When Christopher Columbus first arrived in the late 15th century they we re intrigued by this spicy plant that was primarily used as an ornament. But the desire for an alternative of the valuable black pepper was high, and the Europeans nations quickly understood that the small fiery red pepper had the potential of providing a substitute for the highly profitable spice.
Portugal, on a race for the lucrative spice trade that was centered around the Asian spice islands, saw this as an opportunity. With a well-established navy and a global presence, the portuguese understood their competitive advantage. But curiously enough, even before Columbus got to the Caribbean, the people of West, South Africa already used this plant. The Portuguese already a similar plant (different Family), called Guinea pepper, that provided a hot flavor to food.
Pimenta malagueta in Portuguese
It is because of the Guinea Pepper (Aframomum melegueta), that chili peppers are called “Pimenta malagueta” in Portuguese. When Portuguese traders came across the Peri Peri chili pepper, the understood the potential that it had for business. Due to their hot characteristics (Capsaicin) they associated it with the Guinea Pepper and named it Peri-peri (/ˌpɪri ˈpɪri/ PIRR-ee-PIRR-ee), that means pepper in Swahili (first language of the Swahili people that inhabited the African great lakes region).
From Africa to the world
China, India and Thailand did not always used chilie peppers on their food! In Thailand, a short-lived Portuguese presence failed to convert the locals to Christianity but succeeded in revolutionizing the Thai kitchen. European traders introduced the spice to Japan.
As chilies were added to the cooking pots of Asia, they also entered existing local trade routes and were taken to Indonesia, Tibet and China. Portuguese presence across India (Goa), Malaysia (Melaka) spread the trade of the chili pepper to a proportion never imagined. Chilies spread so quickly in part because they are easy to grow in a wide range of climates and conditions, and therefore cheap and always available.
Cooking with Peri Peri
Peri Peri chicken recipe
Chili pepper-based sauces are a worldwide favorite. On the USA alone, salsas and chili sauces have outsold tomato-based ketchup since the early 1990s. According to USA today, “ “People are becoming more experiential with their food. They’re more willing to try new flavors and new spices. The use of condiments and flavor enhancers to make their food taste better is what has driven the whole hot sauce industry to be one of the very few parts of the consumer packaged goods industry that has seen some reasonable growth.”.
You can use them fresh chopped into a salad or sauce, or dry flaked with some pasta. That “zing” and burst of flavor is set to make your next meal a success. Just try and make the famous Portuguese Peri Peri chicken. If you don´t know where to start, book an online class with us to learn how to make this flavorful chicken on an easy step by step cooking class from the safety of your kitchen.