The Finish
Ají Criollo and Colombian Ají Picado: The Everyday Table Finishes
Two closely related raw finishes from Ecuador and Colombia. What is in each, how they differ from a Mexican salsa, and why they are made fresh rather than bought.
The Finish
Raw or barely cooked, added at the table by the eater. Chimichurri, pebre, ají criollo, ají verde.
The Finish
Peruvian Ají Verde and Salsa Criolla: Two Finishes, One Table
The green sauce and the onion relish that appear together at Peruvian meals. What is in each, why ají amarillo sits inside a green sauce, and how to judge a jarred one.
The Finish
Chimichurri: What Separates the Argentine From the Uruguayan
Two national versions of one finish, and the differences are specific rather than vague. What goes in each, what never does, and how to tell a good jarred one from a bad one.
The Finish
Chilean Pebre: What It Is and When It Is Used
The Chilean table finish that appears at almost every meal. What goes in it, the versions that carry ají and the versions that do not, and how it differs from chimichurri.
The Finish
Huacatay: Black Mint, Which Is Not Mint
The pungent Peruvian herb behind ocopa and many an ají verde. What it tastes of, why the English name misleads, and how to buy it in the United States.
The Finish
Rocoto: The Andean Pod With Black Seeds and Real Heat
Hotter than anything else in the Peruvian kitchen, juicy like an apple, and a different species from every other pod on this site.
The Finish
Llajua: The Bolivian Table Sauce Made Fresh Every Day
Tomato, locoto and quilquiña, ground rather than blended. What goes in it, what never does, and why it is not a salsa.
The Finish
Salsa Criolla: Red Onion, Lime, and Nothing Else Required
The Peruvian onion relish that resets the palate. Why the slicing and the rinse decide it, and how it differs from a pico de gallo.
The Finish
Colombian Ají Picado: The Chopped Sauce on Every Table
Chopped rather than blended, loosened with water and vinegar. What separates it from ají criollo, and why nobody sells it.
The Finish
Chirmol: The Guatemalan and Salvadoran Charred Tomato Relish
Roasted tomato chopped with onion, coriander and lime. The one finish on this site with a cooked component, and why that does not make it a base.
The Finish
Culantro: The Long-Leafed Herb That Is Not Cilantro
Stronger, tougher and a different plant from coriander. Where it belongs, how to buy it, and why the names confuse everyone.
The Finish
Ají Limo: The Ceviche Pepper, and the One Where Habanero Actually Works
Small, floral and genuinely hot, sold in half a dozen colours. Why it belongs in leche de tigre, how it differs from amarillo, and the one honest substitute.
The Finish
Ají Charapita: The Pea-Sized Amazon Pod, and Why It Costs What It Costs
Tiny, yellow, intensely citric and very hot, from the Peruvian Amazon. What it tastes of, what the expensive-chile claim actually rests on, and why growing it is the sensible route.
The Finish
Chincho: The Peruvian Herb Almost Nobody Outside Peru Has Heard Of
A pungent Andean herb used in ají sauces and stews across southern Peru. What it is, what it tastes of, and why it is nearly impossible to buy fresh in the United States.
The Finish
Muña: The Andean Mint That Is Actually a Mint
The high-altitude Peruvian and Bolivian herb used in teas, stews and potato dishes. What it is, how it differs from huacatay, and why the altitude claim follows it everywhere.