The only exception to the litany of odious elements colonisation brought with it — brutal oppression, erasure of culture, languages and even people, the deep intersection of violence and capitalism — is the globalisation of ingredients. It was the Spanish and Portuguese colonists, after all, who introduced vegetables from South America to their now former colonies, and which are now a staple of desi cuisine, such as potatoes, tomatoes and green chillies.

The one thing we can thank the Portuguese for, it seems, is our classic dishes: aloo saalan, vindaloo, chicken tikka. The food we eat would look (and taste!) very different, if it weren’t for the enterprising indigenous peoples of South America, who cultivated vegetables that were native to the Americas, such as green and red chillies, tomatoes and potatoes as well as corn. In the wake of trade and colonisation, these vegetables found their way to every corner of the world, transforming our cuisines (and taste buds) forever.

The history of African bird’s eye chilli or piri-piri (also spelled peri-peri) is no different. Made from piri-piri chillies with garlic, vinegar and lemon as the other main ingredients — piri-piri sauce is where the stories of colonisation, globalisation and immigration intersect. While the origins of the sauce are contested — both the Mozambicans and Portuguese claim it as their own — what is agreed upon is that the sauce emerged around the time of the Portuguese colonisation of Mozambique.

Many Portuguese citizens, encouraged by their government, moved to their African colonies, such as Mozambique, Angola and Guinea. By the 1960s, freedom movements and wars for independence had broken out in each of these countries. In the wake of the 1974 overthrow of the dictatorship in Portugal, all these countries were finally granted their independence. Many of the Portuguese left these countries and while some returned to Portugal (where they were dubbed ‘retornados’), others chose to move to a country closer to their former colonies: to South Africa.

Shrimp Mozambique showcases piri-piri, the African chilli that has captured the heart of the foodie world

The retornados introduced Portugal to dishes such as Shrimp Mozambique and piri-piri chicken, which mixed Portuguese and local elements of the cuisine of their former colonies, and were very popular. In South Africa, many Portuguese expats started restaurants — Portuguese takeaway became popular in cities such as Johannesburg, for example.

One such restaurant, Chickenland, was bought out by Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin, which eventually grew into the popular global chain Nando’s. The restaurant chain introduced piri-piri chicken and, in turn, the alluring piri-piri sauce, across the globe. A testament to the restaurant’s impact can be seen in Pakistan where piri-piri sauce is simply known locally as Nando’s sauce.

Shrimp Mozambique

While nothing comes close to the perfection that is piri-piri chicken, Shrimp Mozambique highlights the spice and zing of piri-piri sauce in a different way and holds its own. If you’re craving something Nando-like, but want something different or zara hut ke, then this dish hits the spot.

Traditionally served with bread (to soak up the dish’s lovely spicy, buttery sauce), serve with salad and rice or pesto pasta to make it a meal. The key to getting this dish as flavourful as possible is to marinate the shrimp overnight — the more time there is for the spices to soak into the shrimp, the better it will taste.

Ingredients

1 pound (30-40) shrimp

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon piri-piri sauce (for the marinade)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 tablespoon zeera/ cumin seeds

1 small/medium onion, finely chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1-2 tablespoons piri-piri sauce (for the sauce/gravy)

1 cup tomato sauce

2-3 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 lemon

Method

1. Thaw the shrimp and marinate overnight. In a bowl, add the soy sauce, one tablespoon of the piri-piri sauce, the minced garlic, pepper and salt, and stir well. Add the shrimp and mix/rub the marinade into the shrimp. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.

2. Make the tomato sauce: simply blitz 2-3 small-to-medium tomatoes in a blender. Add to-taste salt and pepper.

3. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Then add the cumin seeds. Saute the chopped garlic and onions. Then add the marinated shrimp. Cook on low heat until the shrimp are done. Now add the tomato sauce, the piri-piri sauce and the chopped coriander leaves/cilantro. Stir well and cook for five minutes more.

4. Squeeze lemon juice on the shrimp. Serve hot with rice, salad, bread or all three.

Published in Dawn, EOS, September 29th, 2024