D id you know that the South Africans created the famous peri chicken, using chili of the same name?
Today, the famous Nando’s peri chicken is a global favorite. According to their website, Nando’s is currently operating in over 90 countries, with multiple branches in one.
Throughout the history of peri-peri chicken, It has had a lively, tangy, and zesty flavor that is neither hot, nor spicy, but simply irresistible. The chili is so common to the South African culture that almost every restaurant there has some version of Nando’s peri chicken. They also made a prawn dish with the same sauce.
For the recipe of peri sauce with prawns in authentic Mozambique style, check out Food.com.
So, what’s the history of peri-peri chicken and how did it all start? Let’s dig into it.
Variations in the Name
Today, it’s difficult to think of South African food without the peri-peri chili. Whether you know it as peri-peri, pili-pili, or piri-piri, it all means the same thing!
In the Portuguese language, the correct pronunciation is piri-piri, translating to a hot sauce made with red bird-eye chili. The variation in names is mainly due to pronunciation in different languages as it’s a product of import and export coming together;
Or more like brought together by Brazilians to the South Africans.
Where Does it Originate?
According to Texas Monthly, peri-peri sauce is an outcome of the love affair between native South Africans, and their Christian Portuguese traders.
The recipe may have come from the South Africans, but the bird’s eye chili pepper (the star ingredient) was brought to Africa from Brazil, somewhere in the 16th century.
Since then, the sauce has become historical and almost become a staple food item in South African culture. According to chef Duncan – South-African-born international chef – peri-peri is pretty much the national icon.
What About the Flavors?
Simply put, there’s no replacement of the peri-peri chicken with the standard sauce.
Over the history of peri-peri chicken, there have been many variations. A standard recipe calls for crushed peri-peri chili peppers, garlic, lemon, salt, onion, oil, and vinegar. Yes, it’s that packed with flavors.
During the history of peri-peri chicken, different restaurants within South Africa, and also abroad, have come up with their recipes but the ingredients are similar to the original recipe.
For its taste, hotness, and taste, the peri-peri sauce comes close to American Tabasco pepper, or bird's eye’s distant relative red chili that is commonly used in Thai food but is not as spicy.
A fun fact: Peri-Peri chili seeds are very rich in Vitamins A, B, and C. Nando confirms the same on their website.
The chili also has capsaicin which is a natural mood enhancer and boosts endorphins (feel-good chemicals) when consumed and digested.
Peri-Peri Revamp by Nando’s
Thanks to Nando’s, the world is introduced to the tangy, delicious, and simply irresistible peri-peri chicken.
Today, Nando’s itself has a variation of the original recipe and offers different spice levels too.
How did it begin? I think much of peri-peri’s current popularity can be credited to the franchisers of the then Chickenland in Johannesburg, Robert Brozin and Fernando Duarte.
The two friends tried the peri-peri chicken at a local restaurant in 1987 and immediately decided to buy the joint. They renamed the brand as we know it today.
In their own words, Nando’s was very much about “have fun and then make money”.
The chili has been around for centuries, but the history of peri-peri chicken dates back to when Chickenland in South Africa created the sauce and decided to marinate the sauce in it.
Since then, there’s been no turning back from the peri-peri chicken. Today, it’s impossible to imagine the South African culture without the peri-peri chicken, or some variation of the peri-peri sauce with meat.
If you are ever in South Africa and wish to try the best peri-peri chicken in the region, look out for the authentic Portuguese restaurants as it was the Muslim settlers back in the day, in Portugal, who started the trend, and probably still have the secrets to the original recipe.
If not, Nando’s is spread across the world and there’s a fair chance that one branch is in your current town too.
After knowing the history of peri-peri chicken, we sure are craving some! Are you too? Leave the answer in the comments below.
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This post is tagged in:
- Peri Peri history
- History of Periperi
- Periperi chicken history
- Peri peri recipe
