Aruba-style Papaya Hot Sauce (Pika di Papaya)

This bright and fruity hot sauce from the Caribbean island of Aruba combines juicy papaya and blazing red chillies - perfect for fried chicken or fried fish.

I first encountered this hot sauce on a lectureship in the Caribbean earlier this year. Despite coming from the tiny tropical island of Aruba, ‘pika di papaya’ totes a great reputation as one of the best hot sauces in the world, combining habanero chillies and ripe papaya. Despite the its strong reputation, it’s pretty light in ingredients - combining fruit, chillies and a medley of warm spices. Fresh papaya is best, but out of season you can use canned papaya to great effect; you’ll usually find it in Asian supermarkets. You can also use milder chillies if you prefer. Simply blend everything to a puree, simmer it and bottle it. You can apply this sauce like any hot sauce too, but the best way to enjoy it is with fried chicken or with a crispy fried fish cutlet between a white bread roll. Fruity divine! Let’s go!