What is peri-peri?
Peri-peri (also piri-piri, meaning "pepper pepper" in Swahili) is the name of the African bird's eye chilli (Capsicum frutescens), a small, fiercely hot pepper that grows wild in Mozambique, Angola and South Africa, and of the blend and sauce the Portuguese built around it during their time in Mozambique. The blend combines chilli with garlic, paprika, oregano, lemon peel and a little ginger, and goes into the famous basting sauce for chicken grilled over charcoal, the dish that restaurant chains carried from Johannesburg and Lisbon to the whole world.
In Egypt, Iraq, the Levant and the Gulf, peri-peri chicken now appears on most grilled-chicken menus, and the blend is used at home for chicken wings, prawns, potatoes and even grilled corn.
Composition and the role of each ingredient
- Peri-peri or an equivalent bird's eye chilli: sharp, fruity heat; the soul of the blend.
- Sweet paprika: deep red colour and a softening of the heat.
- Dried garlic: pungency and the savoury layer.
- Dried lemon peel or citric acid: the fresh acidity that defines Portuguese-style peri-peri.
- Oregano: a Mediterranean herbal touch.
- Ginger and cardamom: gentle warmth in East African versions.
- Dried onion and black pepper: rounding out the layers.
Paprika, chilli and garlic make up most of the weight, with lemon and herbs in smaller proportions. Sheikh Al-Attareen keeps its exact ratios confidential and tunes the heat to be clear but balanced.
| Variant | Character | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| African Peri-Peri Spice Mix | Hot, tangy and fresh, with a rich red colour from chilli, paprika, garlic and lemon | Grilled peri-peri chicken, wings, prawns, potato wedges, oil-and-vinegar sauce |
How to recognise a good blend
A good peri-peri blend is crimson from natural chilli and paprika, and smells hot with a clear hint of lemon. Quality markers:
- Real heat: African bird's eye chilli measures 50,000 to 175,000 Scoville units, so the heat should be obvious on tasting, not just a red colour; feeble blends rely on paprika alone.
- Natural colour: no artificial dyes; chilli and paprika are tested for banned Sudan dyes and colour strength is measured in ASTA units.
- No salt or sugar padding: many commercial peri-peri mixes are half salt; a pure blend gives you control.
- Even grind and low moisture: moisture at roughly 10 % or below to prevent caking, in line with the European Spice Association (ESA) quality minima and ISO 7540 for ground chilli on cleanliness, ash and foreign matter.
- Aflatoxin-free: chilli is among the spices most prone to it, so laboratory testing of each lot is essential.
How to use it: grilled peri-peri chicken
- Mix two tablespoons (about 15 g) of peri-peri spice mix with three tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of a lemon, a tablespoon of vinegar, three crushed garlic cloves and a teaspoon of salt.
- Spatchcock a whole chicken by cutting along the backbone and flattening it, rub the marinade over and under the skin, and refrigerate for four hours to overnight.
- Grill over medium charcoal or roast at 200 °C for about 45 minutes, turning and basting with the remaining marinade.
- Make an extra basting sauce by whisking a spoonful of the blend with oil, lemon and melted butter, and brush it over the chicken just before serving.
- Serve with chips, coleslaw and bread.
Dosage guide: one to two tablespoons (10 to 15 g) per kilogram, with at least four hours of marination for chicken. Three other uses: oven-baked wings with butter and honey; prawns marinated and grilled two minutes a side; potato wedges or grilled corn tossed with the blend and oil.
Storage and shelf life
Keep the blend in an opaque airtight container in a cool, dry place. Red chilli fades to brown in light and heat and its pungency gradually weakens. Flavour peaks within six to eight months of opening and the blend keeps for up to a year. A prepared sauce with oil and lemon keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.
The Sheikh Al-Attareen range
- African Peri-Peri Spice Mix
Sheikh Al-Attareen selects high-heat chillies from trusted African and Asian sources, high-colour paprika and naturally dried lemon peel, and checks every lot in its Mansoura laboratory for moisture, cleanliness, colour, dyes and aflatoxin before grinding, blending and packing. The blend is available in our branches in Egypt, Iraq (Baghdad and Erbil) and Syria (Homs), and through the online store.
Frequently asked questions
How hot is the peri-peri blend?
Clearly hot but balanced by paprika and lemon; soften it with more oil and lemon or by adding yoghurt to the marinade.
How does peri-peri differ from Cajun?
Cajun is an American herbal blend of paprika, thyme, oregano and cayenne, while peri-peri is African-Portuguese, marked by lemony acidity, garlic and bird's eye chilli.
Does the blend contain salt or sugar?
The Sheikh Al-Attareen blend is pure spice with no salt or sugar padding; add salt to taste.
Can I turn it into a sauce?
Yes. Whisk a tablespoon of the blend with four tablespoons of olive oil, two of lemon juice and one of vinegar, leave for half an hour, and you have a peri-peri sauce for basting and dipping.