Ghanaian Shito (Spicy Dried Shrimp and Chili Sauce)

About This Recipe

Ghanaian Shito is a real, traditional Ghanaian dish, known as Spicy Dried Shrimp and Chili Sauce. A deeply savory, fiery black sauce of dried shrimp, dried fish, ginger and chilies slow-cooked in oil, essential to Ghanaian cuisine.\n\nShito, meaning 'pepper' in the Ga language, is a foundational Ghanaian condiment found in nearly every household, traditionally simmered for hours to develop its intensely savory, umami-rich flavor from dried seafood and aromatics.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Ghanaian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 16

• 300 mlneutral oil
• 100 gdried shrimp(ground)
• 50 gdried fish (like herring)(ground, bones removed)
• 1yellow onion(finely chopped)
• 8garlic cloves(minced)
• 4 tbspgrated fresh ginger
• 6dried scotch bonnet or bird's eye chilies(ground)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 2chicken or beef stock cubes
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil

   Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Fry the aromatics

   Add onion, garlic and ginger, frying gently for 10 minutes until fragrant and golden, being careful not to burn.

3. 3

   Add ground seafood

   Stir in the ground dried shrimp and dried fish, frying for another 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Add chilies and tomato

   Stir in the ground dried chilies and tomato paste, cooking for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Simmer long

   Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the mixture turns deep, dark brown-black and the oil separates slightly on top.

6. 6

   Season and store

   Stir in stock cubes and salt, cool completely, and store in a sealed jar; shito keeps for weeks refrigerated.

Variations

• •

  Some households add a bit of crayfish powder alongside the dried shrimp for extra umami.

• •

  A version with extra chilies makes an even spicier shito for those who prefer more heat.

• •

  Use shito as a condiment on rice, waakye, grilled meat or fish — it's extremely versatile.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions