Sauce Ti Malice (Haitian Hot Sauce)

If you want a spicy,  yet easy-to-make sauce, you've come to the right place. And as an added bonus, you get to go on a (virtual) tour of Haiti if you proceed. Sound like a deal?

In Haitian folktales, there are two main characters, slow-witted Bouki, and mischievous Ti-Malice.  Stories are introduced by an invitation (KRIK?) and if the audience wants to hear the story, they respond (KRAK!). (Source: Watching the Waters)

One of the many folkstories attempts to explain the origin of Sauce Ti Malice:

"Two men, Ti-Malice and Bouki, are good friends. Ti-Malice has meat for lunch everyday and Bouki just so happens to show up at Ti-Malice's house every day around lunch time. Haitians, being good natured, offer whatever they are eating to their guests. So Bouki winds up sharing Ti-Malice's meat every day.

One day, Ti-Malice decides to trick Bouki and prepares a very hot sauce for the meat, hoping to deter Bouki from coming back at lunchtime to eat his food. Bouki tastes the meat with the hot sauce on it and runs all over town shouting to everyone 'Come taste the sauce Ti-Malice made for me'; and that's how Sauce Ti-Malice got its name." 

(Source: A Taste of Haiti)

It's obvious why Bouki enjoyed this sauce so much - it is spicy, yet not too spicy, and perfect for dishes in need of a little flavour injection.

I am submitting this to Regional Recipes - Haiti, originally created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok and currently managed by Joanne from Eats Well With Others.

Sauce Ti Malice

Adapted from CaribSeek Recipes

Makes 2 cups (500 ml)

One of the most popular sauces in Haiti, Sauce Ti Malice is traditionally served with Tassot (Fried Goat) or Griots (Fried Pork).

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 green bellpepper, finely chopped

1/4 red bellpepper, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 - 1/2 tsp chilli powder (or use more to taste)

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups water

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. 

2. Add bellpeppers, tomato paste, salt, pepper, vinegar, chilli powder and lemon juice and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

3. Thin sauce with 2 cups water and cook for 15 minutes on low-medium heat to slightly thicken the sauce. 

Nutritional info (per cup): Calories 61.5 , Total fat 2.5 g, Saturated fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated 0.3 fat g, Monounsaturated fat 1.7 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 717.2 mg, Potassium 306.4 mg, Total carbohydrate 10.0 g, Dietary fiber 2.0 g, Sugars 3.5 g, Protein 1.5 g 

Good source of: Vitamin C 79.6 %, Vitamin A 25.4 %