I have a fever and the only prescription is more Piri-Piri Cauliflower!
I am seriously addicted to piri-piri sauce, ever since I made my first batch a few weeks ago I have been smothering anything AND everything in this spicy sauce – I just can’t get enough! I may need a support group for this one, because I am on the verge of buying a bottling plant and giving sriracha a serious run for their money.
Over the past few years I have seen dishes like piri-piri chicken and piri-piri shrimp showing up in my Pinterest feed more and more regularly. It seemed like more and more people were on the piri-piri tip and I started feeling like I was missing out. ( True case of FOMO right here people!)
So, I Googled it. Guess what, piri-piri is a type of hot sauce aaannnnddd you know how I LOVE hot sauce! Best that I can tell piri-piri originated in Portugal, but now it’s made a home here in So Cal! I’m pretty sure as soon as you sink your teeth into a spicy bite you will be hooked too!
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This piri-piri sauce is so good you might just want to double the recipe. Then you can slather it on sandwiches, dress salads, spice up eggs, or dunk chips in piri-piri too. The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
For the piri-piri sauce
- 5 red fresno chiles, seeded if you prefer a milder version of the sauce
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
- 1/4 cup light coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons raw cashews
for the piri-piri cauliflower
- 1 medium cauliflower, broken down into florets
- 1 batch piri-piri sauce
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro leaves
- thin slices of chile pepper
for the toasted coconut rice
- 1 3/4 cups canned lite coconut milk
- 1 cup Basmati rice, rinsed
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut, lightly toasted
- 1–2 tablespoons minced cilantro
Instructions
Make the piri-piri sauce
- In a high speed blender combine the chiles, lime juice, brown sugar, olive oil, ginger, vinegar, salt, garlic, coconut milk and cashews. Puree until smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup sauce for garnish.
Marinate & roast the cauliflower
- Place the cauliflower florets into a gallon sized storage bag. Add the remaining piri-piri sauce to the bag, seal shut and shake the cauliflower in the bag until it is all evenly coated with piri-piri sauce. Allow the cauliflower to marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature or for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 450ยฐF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the marinated cauliflower onto the baking sheet in an even layer then roast for 20 minutes, stirring once, until the florets are tender and beginning to caramelize.
Make the toasted coconut rice
- In a medium-sized saucepan bring the coconut milk to a boil over medium-high heat add the rice and salt then stir. When the coconut milk returns to a full boil turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- At the end of 15 minutes, cut the heat off. Let the rice sit, covered for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork. Fold in the toasted coconut and cilantro right before serving.
To serve
- Transfer the coconut rice to a serving platter. Top with the roasted piri-piri cauliflower then drizzle a few tablespoons of the reserved piri-piri over the top. Sprinkle cilantro leaves and chile pepper slices over the top then serve with lime wedges. and the remaining piri-piri sauce on the side.
I’ve been buying jars of piri-piri sauce by the cart-full, it never occurred to me to make it! It’s so addictive. And the coconut rice sounds amazing with it. Maybe this will make it into our Super Bowl menu for this weekend…
Lynell, you will not be disappointed – even my cauliflower hating husband is hooked on this one! I can’t wait for you to give it a try. ๐
That sauce sounds SO good! I can see why you are obsessed with it – I think I’m about to become obsessed too!
I made this last night for dinner and it was absolutely amazing!!! My non cauliflower loving husband said if I wanted him to eat cauliflower, this recipe is the only way to go. I couldn’t get Fresnos so I subbed 2 green jalepenos, 1 red chili and I habanero. It was spicy but we couldn’t stop eating it. The toasted coconut on top is a must! This is definitely going into my rotation.
Heck yes!!! I love hearing that we turned a cauli hater into a cauli lover. Your spicy combo of peppers sounds so good, next time my kids go to their Nana’s I am going to have to give your peppper combo a try!
Peri Peri is actually from Angola.