If you are a Haitian food lover, then you might have wondered just what gives their dishes that depth of flavour they are known for. It is all thanks to this authentic Haitian green marinade called epis.
What is Epis?
Different cultures tend to have a sauce or seasoning that they turn to for almost any and every dish. From peri peri sauce in Mozambique to berbere in Ethiopia, it is no wonder most cultural dishes have a signature taste or aroma. For Haitians, it is epis, which is essentially a blend of peppers, herbs, spices and aromatics.
While the use of a blender or food processor is the most common way epis is made in so many parts of the world, the ingredients are traditionally pounded using a mortar and pestle in Haiti. This almost smooth blend of the green seasoning is called munsh pilon.
Ingredients needed for Epis
Before delving into the list of ingredients used for today’s recipe, it is important to note that there are variations to what makes up epis depending on the region of Haiti it is being made. Hence, what is added or taken out would vary or depend mainly on your preference. Here is a list of what I added to my epis.
– Green bell Pepper
– Red bell pepper
– White onion
– Scallions
– Garlic
– Fresh parsley
– Fresh basil
– Cloves
– Salt
– Lime
– Scotch bonnets (optional)
– Vegetable oil
Other ingredients you can add:
– Celery
– Scent leaves
– Fresh rosemary
– Fresh thyme
– Leeks
In order to keep your epis as healthy as possible, you can opt for the low-sodium salt. This fully-herbed seasoning is suitable for marinating chicken, fish, beef cuts etc. I used it to make the famous Haitian diri djon djon.
Recommended
Haitian Epis
Equipment
- 1 blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 green bell Pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 white onion
- 6 scallions
- garlic cloves
- fresh parsley
- fresh basil
- cloves
- salt to taste
- lime juice
- scotch bonnets optional
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Chop up all the vegetables and herbs, transfer to a blender.
- Use the pulse function to roughly blend the vegetables.
- Add in the oil, lime juice, salt and any other spices you like into the mix, continue to blend until you achieve presto consistency.
- Transfer to a jar with a lid and store in your refrigerator. It can keep for at least a month.
