Shrimp Piri Piri

Shrimp Piri Piri is a spicy and flavorful seafood dish that features pan-seared shrimp a blend of garlic, lime, habanero peppers, smoked paprika, salt and a touch of honey. Enjoy this dish served over farro, rice, or a roasted vegetable of your choice and garnish with crushed red pepper for some extra heat.

When asked to participate in the 4th Annual Healthy African Food Week led by Marsha Hoffman of doyousalut.com, I didn’t even have to think twice about where to go for inspiration. Since purchasing Marcus Samuelson’s newest cookbook The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food (shout-out to Harriet’s Bookshop a black-owned bookstore in Philadelphia for holding my copy) has been a mainstay in my kitchen for the past few months and it is filled with recipes featuring ingredients, sauces, and marinades. His recipe for piri piri marinade is superb and since learning of this rich and complex sauce, I have scoured the internet for a deeper understanding of where this simple sauce that is packed full of flavor originated.

What is Piri Piri?

The base of a great piri piri sauce is the piri piri (or peri peri) chile (alternatively known as the African bird’s eye chile). The piri piri chile which is native to the southern region of Africa and also common in Portuguese speaking areas of Africa (also known as Lusophone Africa) including the countries Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe. Because this pepper has also been imported to Portugal you will see versions of this delectable sauce in Portugese cuisine as well. In the United States specifically, piri piri chiles can be found at Asian and African special markets. Alternatively, if you cannot find or do not have access to these chiles scotch bonnet peppers or habanero peppers are a fantastic alternative and are what I leveraged to make this recipe.

As a sauce, piri piri can take on many shapes and forms depending on the country or region in which it is made. Either as a coarse paste-like condiment perfect for pan-seared or grilled fish or shrimp or mixed with honey to create a sweet and spicy glaze for poultry or beef.  Some recipes have even called for mixing the condiment style piri with mayo or ketchup as a way to easily enhance the flavor.

Ingredients for Piri Piri Sauce

Common ingredients found in piri piri sauce are onions or shallots, garlic, lemon or lime, ginger, and salt.  This Shrimp Piri Piri recipe features peeled and deveined shrimp marinaded for two hours in a sweet, smoky and spicy piri piri sauce before pan-searing them in olive oil. I served this version over farro (a hearty ancient grain common in West African cusine) or over simple roasted vegetables.

Some key ingredients for my rendition of the piri piri sauce include:

• Shallots – Shallots offer a softer and less aggressive flavor than onions. While they add complexity to the flavor, they still allow the other ingredients to shine.
• Ginger – Ginger is almost an essential ingredient to a standard Piri Piri sauce.
• Garlic – The strongest flavor in my piri piri sauce is the garlic. This is just a personal preference and you can feel free to use a little less if you are not as big of a fan as me.
• Red Habanero Pepper – While all habaneros pack the spice, red habanero peppers have a fruity quality that really add a nice edge to the flavor profile of my piri piri sauce.
• Lime – Limes add a touch of bitterness that offset the heat and the garlic.
• Smoked Paprika – Although many piri piri’s include paprika, in most recipes I substitute regular paprika for smoked paprika. In this dish, the smokiness mimics the flavor you would get from a grilled shrimp dish. Because this recipe calls for pan-searing, this is a great alternative.
• Honey – Finish this piri piri sauce with just a touch of honey for some added sweetness.

Grab the full recipe for my Shrimp Piri Piri below.

Shrimp Piri Piri Recipe

Servings: 4-6 | Prep time: 2 Hours 10 Minutes (includes time to marinade) | Cook time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Small Shallots, Diced
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Ginger
• 8 Cloves Garlic
• 3 Red Habaneros Peppers
• Juice of a Small Lime
• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil (plus 1 Tablespoon more to coat Cast Iron Pan)
• 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• 2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1.5 Pounds Medium Shrimp (Peeled and Deveined, Tails on)
• 1 Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper for Garnish

Instructions 

1. Prepare the piri piri sauce by placing shallots, ginger, garlic, habanero peppers into a food processor and pureeing until a paste forms. Stir in lime juice, olive oil, smoked paprika, honey and salt. Return lid to food processor and pulse a few times until well combined.
2. Place shrimp in a large bowl and add piri piri sauce. Using a large spoon ensure all shrimp are well coated with the piri piri sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before cooking. (Remove from refrigerate at least 15 minutes before cooking).
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat. Shake excess piri piri sauce of shrimp and add shrimp the pan and cook approximately 5 minutes (or more) until pink.
4. Top with crushed red pepper for extra spice (optional).