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Peri Tamer Sauce Recipe
Peri Tamer is the mildest sauce on the Nando's heat scale, below Lemon and Herb. It is sweet and smoky rather than hot, built on tomato and smoked paprika with a trace of chilli. This gets close in 20 minutes.
Prep
Cook
Serve
Kcal
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp ground African bird's eye chilli (or cayenne)
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp molasses or black treacle
- 3 tbsp apple juice
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 60ml water
- Salt to taste
Step 1
Warm the oil in a small pan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, until it smells sweet. Do not let it colour, or the finished sauce turns bitter.Step 2
Add the tomato paste and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. It will darken and stop smelling raw. This step is what separates a good version from a flat one, so do not rush it.Step 3
Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder and ground chilli. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.Step 4
Add the sugar, molasses, apple juice, cider vinegar, lemon juice and water. Whisk until smooth.Step 5
Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy enough to coat the back of a spoon.Step 6
Taste and season with salt. If it tastes flat, add a little more vinegar. If it is sharp, add a little more sugar. Blend with a stick blender if you want it completely smooth.Step 7
Cool before bottling. It thickens further as it cools, and keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for about a week.
What is Peri Tamer?
Peri Tamer is Nando's mildest PERi-PERi sauce. On their PERi-ometer heat scale it sits at the very bottom, below Lemon and Herb. The flavour is closer to a sweet barbecue sauce than a chilli sauce: tomato, sugar and smoke first, garlic underneath, and only a trace of chilli warmth at the finish.
What does Peri Tamer taste like?
Sweet and smoky, with a thick glossy texture rather than a loose one. The smoked paprika does most of the work, the molasses and brown sugar give it depth, and the small amount of bird's eye chilli sits so far back that most people would not call it spicy at all.
Is Peri Tamer really the mildest Nando's sauce?
Yes. It sits below Lemon and Herb at the bottom of the Nando's heat scale, which is why it is the usual recommendation for children or anyone who wants the flavour without the burn. If your homemade version tastes hot, you have used too much chilli.
Can I use it as a dip as well as a marinade?
Yes, and it is arguably better as a dip. Because it is thick and glossy it clings well to chips and wings. As a marinade it works best brushed on during the last few minutes of cooking, since the sugar in it will catch and burn over a long cook.
Why does my sauce taste bitter?
Almost always the garlic or the tomato paste. Garlic browned even slightly turns bitter, so keep the heat low in the first step. Tomato paste needs a full two minutes of cooking to lose its raw edge, but past that it will scorch on the base of the pan.
How long does it keep?
About a week in a sealed jar in the fridge, and up to three months frozen. It thickens noticeably as it cools, so if it seems thin in the pan, judge it once cold rather than adding more time on the heat.