Every aji I’ve tasted has some ingredients in common: the tree tomato or tomate de arbol, red onion, hot peppers, a little salt, and a little oil. But every chef seems to offer their own twist. I’ve already shared one recipe that was inspired by a chef at the Swiss Hotel, where we spent our first few weeks in country. This time, I’m going to share a recipe from the chef at a small lodge tucked away behind Cotopaxi National Park, Los Mortiños. He has a secret ingredient that made his aji the best I have yet tasted in Ecuador.
Ají de Los Mortiños
- 2 tree tomatoes (tomate de arbol or tamarillo pulp by Goya found in some Latin American grocery stores)
- 2-3 hot peppers
- 1 red onion
- 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter (or more to taste)
- parsley
- salt
- vegetable oil
![Ingrediants for Ecuadorian Hot Sauce a Los Mortiños Cut and peel the plantain, recipe for Bolón de VerdeIngrediants for Ecuadorian Hot Sauce a Los Mortiños](https://notyouraverageamerican.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DSC_1567.jpg)
![Cooked Tomate de Arbol Cooked Tomate de Arbol, recipe for Ecuadorian Hot Sauce](https://notyouraverageamerican.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DSC_1581.jpg)
Mince the parsely and set it aside.
![Diced onion and seeding hot peppers Preparing Ingredients for Ecuadorian Hot Sauce](https://notyouraverageamerican.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DSC_1574.jpg)
![Cut and peel the plantain, recipe for Bolón de Verde Cut and peel the plantain, recipe for Bolón de Verde](https://notyouraverageamerican.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DSC_1575.jpg)
![Ají de Los Mortiños Ají de Los Mortiños](https://notyouraverageamerican.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/01507.jpg)
This article was originally published in February, 2014. It has since been updated and reformatted.