Ata Dindin Is Yoruba language literally meaning Fried Pepper. This is one of the most versatile sauces you can possibly make.
Ata - Dindin - yoruba - hot - sauce - fried - pepper - nigerian - condiment

The combinations are endless. You can use it as a sauce for rice and pasta, you can refine it further into soups like egusi, Efo , Ewedu etc.  With a few tweaks and addition of Orishirishi(meat) you can make it into Ofada sauce. Simply fried and properly stored, it can last up to 5 weeks. This sauce can be very hot, feel free to vary the pepper count to your heat tolerance level.

*For my sauce I used ata wewe (Thai or Tabasco Chili) as the main source of heat,  substitute rodo (scotch Bonnet) or shombo (Kashmir chilli).

Ingredients

  • Ata wewe (about 20-25) (dependent on your heat tolerance)
  • 2 large red bell pepper (tatashe)
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 cups oil of choice (Groundnut or Palm oil)
  • Salt and maggi cube – to taste

Directions

  • Combine  peppers and onion in a blender. Process into a coarse texture.
  • pour processed peppers into a strainer, set aside to drain out excess liquid
  • Set a large pot on medium-high heat, heat up the oil then add in the processed pepper, salt and maggi.
  • Cover the pot and leave to cook for 45min-1hr, stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn’t burn.
  • You know your sauce is ready when the oil floats to the top and the sauce changes to a darker red.  Skim off any excess oil

Enjoy!

Some Uses of Ata Din Din

Peppered Ponmo

 I used some of the sauce above, mixed with some boiled ponmo, added in some blended dried prawns, cooked for another 15 minutes on low heat so the ponmo can “Take in the pepper” and here we are.

Efo ( Alata Swe swe)

Alata-SweSwe in yoruba language is used to describe something with an in and out peppery note. Sort of a now you feel it now you don’t type situation.

Again I used the Ata Dindin sauce mixed in with dried catfish, tomato paste, cooked  snails, cooked goat meat, fresh spinach, blended crayfish, and some locust beans.

Happy New Month and Happy Ramadan!