🇬🇭 Ghanaian Cuisine

Shito

Black Chilli Sauce

Prep Time 1 hour
Servings 12
Difficulty Medium
Calories 130 kcal

A fiery, dark, oil-based chilli sauce packed with dried shrimp, ginger, and garlic — Ghana's most essential condiment that transforms any dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried shrimp, ground
  • 1 cup dried chilli flakes
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large onions, blended
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground anise
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. 1 Blend onions smooth. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
  2. 2 Fry blended onions until deep brown, about 20 minutes, stirring often.
  3. 3 Add garlic, ginger, and tomato paste. Cook 5 minutes.
  4. 4 Add dried chilli flakes and ground dried shrimp. Stir well.
  5. 5 Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
  6. 6 Add anise and salt. Cool and store in sterilised jars. Keeps for months.

Did You Know?

Every Ghanaian abroad packs jars of shito in their luggage — it is the one taste of home that nothing else can replace.

From The Culinary Codex — http://theculinarycodex.com/dish/ghanaian/shito/