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Pili Pili Ha Ha

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: Makes 2 bottles
  • •MAKE-AHEAD
  • •VEGETARIAN

This fiery homemade condiment is simple to make but it does require patience—it needs to stand for over 6 months before it's ready to use. The hot sauce is a staple at the dinner table of Ralph Bausfield, an owner of a camp in Botswana. His family sprinkles it on everything from soups and salads to main dishes. Pili pili is a generic term for hot sauce. The ha ha refers to the sauce's hot kick which sneaks up on you.

  1. 1/4 cup halved and seeded bird chiles
  2. Gin
  3. Sherry
  1. To make Pili Pili Ha Ha, put 1/4 cup of halved and seeded bird chiles in a bottle and cover with gin. Shake once a day for 2 weeks, then store in a dark place for 6 months. Pour half of the gin and chiles into another bottle. Fill both bottles with sherry and serve.