piri piri sauce

Also known as: peri peri sauce, piri piri, peri peri

A hot sauce built around African bird's eye chile peppers, associated with Portuguese and Southern African cooking, typically blended with garlic, citrus, and oil alongside vinegar -- giving it more aromatic depth than a straight vinegar-and-pepper hot sauce, on top of its heat.

Buying guidance

Sold bottled in the international or hot sauce aisle, and at Portuguese or African grocers; recipes vary widely by brand, from a thin, mostly vinegar-based sauce to a thicker, oil-based one, so taste a new bottle before committing to a quantity. Nando's is a widely available commercial brand, alongside various Portuguese import brands.

Substitutions

Another thin, vinegar-based hot sauce (such as Tabasco) plus a pinch of garlic powder -- captures the heat but misses the citrus and herb complexity.
A homemade blend of red chile, garlic, olive oil, and lemon or vinegar -- closer in character when piri piri itself isn't on hand.
Plain hot sauce alone -- the simplest substitute, with a flatter, less complex flavor.

Tips & common mistakes

Because it carries oil and aromatics along with its vinegar and heat, it doesn't behave like a purely sharp, thin hot sauce -- added very early in a long simmer, its brighter garlic and citrus notes can fade the same way other bright condiments do with cooking, so a splash added near the end of cooking preserves more of its character than adding it all upfront.

Storage

Keeps well refrigerated after opening for several months thanks to its acidity and oil content. Some oil separation or settling over time is normal, not a sign of spoilage -- shake before using.