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Cooking Notes
DevonC
If you're going to use Serrano's, I'd recommend using at least two. Also should be served cold so it's a good idea to refrigerate for about an hour, that lets the flavor marinate a little better too.
Katherine
Colombian American here- I personally recommend using lime juice (lots) instead of water :( It will bring out more flavors of the entire mix. You want to ensure there is enough juice each time you pour a tiny bit into the empanada. And def chill for a good hour! The colder the better. Great recipe!
Cheryl
I am one of those odd people who cannot tolerate cilantro....I am wondering if you can substitute parsley for the cilantro?
Aren
Try it and see! It seems like it should work. Maybe adding a little lemon to add the brightness that cilantro brings that parsley doesn't have.
LuluRios
Another colombian here - delicious recipe! Cheryl - if you really cannot befriend cilantro, try one part parsley and one part mint - mix the herbs until you find the balance you like. And I agree, balance the acidity of the lime with water until you make it your own. In Colombia, every household, in every region has its own ají recipe.
María
Yes, you can substitute parsley or basil for the cilantro. It tastes great!
Becky
Delicious and I imagine would be great on a nice grilled white fish.
Jessica
I followed another reader’s note and did not add water but did add more lime. It turned out marvelously and reminded me of my days in Chile (although this is a Colombian recipe).
C Kelly
May 2023: I made as written. Very good on Day 1, but on the following day, the curiously strong onion flavor prevailed. Weeks later, the washed tupperware still reeks of onion! Moral: eat it all on Day 1!
Karen G
Not to ‘cross’ websites but I used the Chefsteps recipe ‘from corn kernels to fresh masa.’ Nixtamalized whole dried kernels. It took *all*day* but the masa was silky and resilient, my daughter said it rolled out like PlayDough and the flavor was so transcendentally…corn. That and Impossible Burger made this the best thing we’ve eaten in a while!
Cece
I just made and it was wonderful. However, couldn’t it be made by roughly chopping all the ingredients (no cilantro stems) and adding all to the food processor?
Jessica
I followed another reader’s note and did not add water but did add more lime. It turned out marvelously and reminded me of my days in Chile (although this is a Colombian recipe).
Kevin
Halve the chili and halve the salt
cf
Good. Just a bit bitter (maybe from cilantro stems?)
Tessa
Quite tasty. We had a ton of coriander in the garden over winter so a great way to use it up and add flavour to dishes. I would quibble that leftovers do NOT last a week - after only a couple days in the fridge, mine looked quite gross and discoloured, and the texture was already quite a bit soppier than when I first made it.
LuluRios
Another colombian here - delicious recipe! Cheryl - if you really cannot befriend cilantro, try one part parsley and one part mint - mix the herbs until you find the balance you like. And I agree, balance the acidity of the lime with water until you make it your own. In Colombia, every household, in every region has its own ají recipe.
Katherine
Colombian American here- I personally recommend using lime juice (lots) instead of water :( It will bring out more flavors of the entire mix. You want to ensure there is enough juice each time you pour a tiny bit into the empanada. And def chill for a good hour! The colder the better. Great recipe!
JTH
My family’s variation on ají includes using a fine dice of equal parts: red onion, red pepper, cilantro, and tomato. Mix and add ketchup, vinegar , juice of one lime olive oil and salt to taste.
MSH
Add some lime juice.
NBB
This was excellent! Just made it tonight. Will definitely be making it again, but doubling the recipe, and probably finding some way to up the spice level. Great combination of flavors, regardless.
RoLo
"Finished ají can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week."Curious if anyone with food safety expertise can corroborate or counter this timeframe; my fridge is often filled with random containers of homemade salsas/pestos/sauces that I end up throwing out due to concerns about safety. Should I immediately freeze half in the future, or does that compromise flavor? Which ingredients alter the freezer rules (assuming dairy, but what about tahini?)
Elwood
Not a food safety expert, but the answer would depend, among other factors, on the temperature of your fridge (colder slows bacterial and fungal growth), the acidity of the stored sauce (many microbes can't take the acid), the handling of the sauce before storage (immediate vs. held at room temp), and of course the ingredients such as the dairy you mention. That said, I give it about a week for a sauce like this Aji, if made with lime juice.
Becky
Delicious and I imagine would be great on a nice grilled white fish.
Angie
This is a silly question, but I have an overabundance of hot Hungarian was peppers; would those work? Or, conversely, does ANYONE have advice besides pickling or freezing them?
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