Shito Is The Flavor-Packed Ghanaian Condiment That Pairs With Any Dish

If you're looking to add a little extra spice to your dishes, consider adding in some shito. The Ghanaian condiment brings extra flavor to any dish it's used in. The most intense flavors come from the added scotch bonnet chile peppers and red pepper flakes, which will turn up the heat in anything you eat it with.

Though the condiment is spicy thanks to the peppers, it's hard to pin down one particular flavor note. The added tomato paste (not to be confused with tomato puree) adds some slight sweetness and acidity, while its smoked seafood adds some extra richness, and a variety of seasonings add even more flavor.

The condiment can be purchased if you aren't up to making a batch yourself — it's even sold in some major grocery stores. Depending on its ingredients, you can try a more mild version, or choose one a little hotter. But if you want to know exactly what goes into the sauce, you may want to try making your own at home.

There are quite a few ingredients that go into crafting the perfect shito. Smoked and dried unsalted herring and either crayfish or shrimp make up the seafood portion of the ingredients list. The condiment gets its strong smell from onions, garlic, ginger, and stemless scotch bonnet peppers. To add extra seasoning, toss in some anise seeds, paprika, allspice, and dried thyme. You can also add some shrimp bouillon cubes for additional seafood taste, or red pepper flakes for a little extra heat.

The process of creating the shito involves blending the dried fish down into a powder and gradually combining all the ingredients into a pot with oil on the stovetop. Once everything has been combined, allow the mixture to simmer on the heat for about an hour, allowing it to turn dark in color, but not burnt. The finished condiment should be thick, oily, and low in water content. It can then be poured into a jar, and stored in the fridge for later use.

Though the condiment is enjoyed by plenty of Ghanaians these days, its origins can be traced back to the Ga people. They moved to the southeastern part of the country in the 1600s, and are credited with creating the first shito, which then spread to other parts of the country, and the world. Though, of course, it's still eaten with plenty of Ghanaian meals.

The complex condiment's versatile and unique flavor makes it a perfect pairing for plenty of foods that could use some extra seasoning, like rice, eggs, plantains, and meats. Shito can even be used as a marinade. It can also be added onto your next charcuterie board, where it can be used as a dip and paired with cheeses and breads. (Just be careful not to leave that cheese sitting out for too long.)

If you want to add a little bit of spiciness to your dishes, consider spreading some shito into the mix. The oily condiment will add an extra layer of flavor to your foods, and you may just find your new favorite topping.