Chachando

One of my favorite culinary finds in Tanzania was their hot sauce, called chachando. The first time that I had it was during language school when the Tanzanian family that I was staying with made it. I was hooked from the very first taste.

Thankfully they walked me through the preparation process (and I think I remembered it correctly). During my time in the States I have made jars upon jars of chachando, and given it away to many people. It was wonderful to be able “bring” something from Tanzania to give out to some friends and family, without having to include it in my checked luggage.

Chachando, having been canned, wait, jarred?

So, if you are interested in making this sauce, I don’t know how much help I will be. I can’t tell you the proportions, I didn’t learn to make it by measuring. I just chuck a bunch of all the ingredients together and cross my fingers. However, I have given some instructions below.

The recipe is (loosely) as follows, and especially where the garlic and ginger is concerned, there is no such thing as too much…I think.

-fresh garlic (oodles, finely chopped)

-fresh ginger (loads, finely chopped)

-oil (enough)

-onions (plenty, finely chopped)

-tomatoes (masses, you guessed it, finely chopped)

-habanero peppers (several pinches, or to taste…and once more with feeling: finely chopped)

Instructions:

• If a mortar and pestle are available, destroy the garlic and ginger together using said implements. If mortar and pestle are not available, I guess a food processor will do, but still, decimate those delicious ingredients together. (The mortar and pestle do not need to be as big as the one in the picture below).

• Heat oil a bit, and add the garlic and ginger paste to the oil – after a few minutes your house will start smelling like heaven.
• Add onions – house will increase in smelling like heaven.
• Add tomatoes.
• Add habanero with caution and temperance (unless you really like spice, in which case, go nuts).
• Cook the whole thing down until you get the consistency that you prefer. It may range from a sauce to a paste in consistency, I’ll leave that up to your conscience.

Finally: you can enjoy this delectable sauce on anything and everything that your heart desires. I typically use it to give some flavor to rice dishes, french fry omelets (another Tanzanian food that I like), meat…pretty much anything needing a swift kick.