Hungarian Hot Paprika Sauce

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Although paprika is more often used in stews than sauces, this sauce was 
designed as a condiment for fish. Traditionally, it is served over fried 
fillets of river fish.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon minced onion
2 to 3 teaspoons hot paprika
Hint of nutmeg

Instructions

Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and stir 
constantly until it starts to bubble. Gradually add the milk, stirring 
constantly until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and 
continue to stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion, nutmeg, and paprika 
to the mixture, stir well for 30 seconds, and serve.

Zhug (Yemenite Hot Sauce)

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Popular with the Yemenite Jews in Israel and in the Middle East, this 
hot sauce starts with a paste of garlic and peppers plus whatever spices 
the individual cook chooses, along with cilantro and/or parsley. There 
are two versions, this green one and a red one that uses red sweet and 
hot peppers. Tomatoes are sometimes added to tone down the sauce, which 
can be quite spicy. This quick and easy sauce serves as a table 
condiment, as a sauce for grilled fish or meat or for eggs, or can be 
added to soups and stews just before serving. It goes especially well 
with lamb kabobs.

Ingredients

8 serrano chiles, stems removed (or substitute jalapeño chiles)
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice, preferably fresh
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

Instructions

Place the chiles, garlic, caraway, cumin, cardamom, pepper, cloves, and 
lemon juice in a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth paste, 
adding some of the oil if necessary.
Add the cilantro and parsley, and while the machine is running slowly, 
add the oil until a “soupy” sauce is formed. Season with salt.

West African Pili Pili Sauce

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Pili pili, often called piri piri, is served as a table condiment in
West Africa, where it heats up grilled meat, poultry, shrimp, and fish.
Nearly any green chile can be used to make this sauce. Some recipes call
for tomatoes or tomato sauce to be added.

Ingredients

1 pound serrano or jalapeño chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely
chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
Juice of one lemon
Water to thin

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients, except the water, in a food processor and
blend them into a paste, adding water until the desired consistency is
achieved. Store in a jar in the refrigerator, where it will keep for
many weeks.

Palaver Sauce

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From Sierra Leone, here is one of the more unusual hot sauces I
encountered. Besides palm oil, it is characterized by greens such as
cassava and sweet potato leaves; spinach makes an adequate substitute.
Some versions of this dish are more of a stew than a sauce, but this one
is designed to be served over rice. Warning: Palm oil is high in
saturated fat.

Ingredients

1 cup red palm oil (found in Asian markets), or substitute peanut oil
1/2 cup minced lean beef
1 onion, chopped
3 jalapeño chiles, seeds and stems removed, minced
2 cups shredded spinach
1/2 cup smoked fish, such as kippers

Instructions

Heat the palm oil in a large skillet and fry the beef until just brown.
Remove the beef and add the onion and jalapeño and cook until soft,
about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the spinach and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Return the beef to the skillet, crumble in the fish, and cook for 5
minutes over medium heat, stirring constant. Add more palm oil if the
mixture is too thick.

Sauce Gombo

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Gombo means okra in West Africa, and that vegetable is the primary
thickening agent of this simple sauce from Ghana. The sauce can be
served like a soup or poured over potatoes, plantains, or other starchy
tubers.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh okra, sliced into rounds
1 cup water
1 teaspoon hot chile powder, such as cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tomato, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat for for
8 to 10 minutes, or until the okra is tender. Serve it as is or puree it
in a blended for a smoother sauce.