Step 1

Fill your saucepan with water and let it come to a boil.In the meantime, slice your aji (chillies) lengthwise and discard the seeds and all the bits in the chilli (the capsaicin glands and the placenta). You want only the orange flesh.

Step 2

Drop the aji amarillo in the boiling water, reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 5 minutes to soften.

Step 3

Drain and leave to cool so that you can handle the chillies. Then, using gloves, remove the skin of the chillies. They should come off easily, see image.Peeling the chillies gives you a smoother aji amarillo paste. Otherwise, your paste will be bitty.

Step 4

Place all the peeled aji in the food chopper, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or water) and blend to a smooth paste. Add more oil if you want a runnier paste.Transfer to a sterilised jar or ice cube tray and store as discussed in the post above.