Saucy Afro Spice
Pepperlicious Shito, Ghanaian Hot Pepper Sauce
£-££
Meet Auntie Gloria. Yes, this is Eli’s REAL AUNTIE! And we are so happy to be showcasing her on Episode 16. Auntie Gloria is a loving mother, a small business owner, a world traveler, an excellent cook, and an all-around kind soul. This episode is more than special. We visit the CREATOR, OWNER, and HEAD CHEF EXTRAORDINAIRE of *Saucy Afro Spice* and *Pepperlicious Shito* in her kitchen in Kent. Join us as we get a taste of her infamous Ghanaian hot pepper sauce and a spectacular meal, and we learn about the Ga people of Accra.
Auntie Gloria was raised in the Dansoman region of greater Accra. Known for its many street fairs and night markets, Dansoman is one of the livelier suburban districts of the capital city, and one that many locals call home. Eli lived in Dansoman for a period of time and speaks fondly of getting caught stealing fish from the market as a young boy (don’t worry, though he is all about free food, his days of petty theft are far behind him). Dansoman, along with much of the greater Accra region, and Southeast Ghana, is home to the Ga people, one of Ghana’s many ethnic groups. The Ga’s ancestors originally immigrated to Ghana during the 17th century. Today, Ga culture, language, and spiritual beliefs are preserved and well-integrated into Ghanaian society. It is the Ga who are credited with first making shito, the star of the episode! This hot pepper sauce is a Ghanaian staple. Found in every household and eaten alongside almost EVERY dish—rice, fufu, kenke, banku, bread—you name it, shito is slapped on it.
Many Ghanaian families make their own shito, and you can now find shito on the shelves of some major supermarkets and in African food shops across London. There are, however, only a handful of brands available and very few businesses that provide made to order shito. Auntie Gloria saw a need, identified a gap in the market, and created *Saucy Afro Spice* and a line of *Pepperlicious Shito!* From her kitchen in Kent, she churns out a variety of shitos and ships her products around the world.
Making shito is a laborious process. It is time consuming. Shito ingredients fry on low heat and must be watched and stirred constantly. The flavours must meld together, and if you are a fraction off with the ingredients or cooking times, the whole batch could be ruined. It is also a SMELLY endeavor. Making shito involves not only working with peppers, garlic, ginger and onion, but with a mix of dried fish! You best leave this one to THE PRO—and I mean, Auntie Gloria. *Pepperlicious Shito* BANGZ!
On our visit, Auntie Gloria made us a Ghanaian feast! We had waakye, a flavourful rice and bean dish that is a typical street food in Ghana. This was accompanied with stewed melt-off-the-bone-oxtail (drool), tripe (an acquired taste), goat meat, cow foot and several other scrumptious cuts. Now, when I first looked at the rest of the accoutrements on the table, I got a little overwhelmed…a bowl of spaghetti (italia), a bowl of what looked like toasted breadcrumbs (garri, a grainy cassava flour), a bowl of boiled eggs, and the shito. How does it all come together? Here’s a step-by-step guide for the non-Ghanaian newbies like me, Step 1: waakye. 2: stew. 3: top with spaghetti. 4. sprinkle on the garri. 5. slice the egg on top. 6. drop a big heaping spoon of shito on it, and call it, BANGIN! This was soooooo good. I cannot even begin to do this dish justice. We were also lucky enough to try Auntie’s spicy plantain fritters (titale, kakro) and beans. I could eat this all day. THIS FOOD BANGZ x 1000000000000000000!
After a long day of cooking, Eli and Auntie Gloria got behind the camera and reminisced about life in Ghana. They spoke about their love for the UK, and their longing for their West African home. Auntie Gloria spoke about what being Ga means to her and how her travels have informed her sense of belonging and sense of self. If you are in need of some recipe inspo and some good vibez, check out Episode 16. And if you’re in need of some shito, you know who to call.
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