Dominican Pico de Gallo with Ají Gustoso (Caribbean Fresh Salsa, 5 Minutes)
Servings: 6
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Dominican fresh salsa with ají gustoso - the mild, aromatic habanero-shaped pepper with zero heat - naranja agria, red onion, and cilantro. More complex and more Caribbean than the Mexican version. 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes or 2 large beefsteak tomatoes diced small
- ½ small red onion diced very fine
- 1 ají gustoso seeded and minced fine (mild - no heat)
- Optional heat: ¼ ají titÍ minced extremely fine very spicy - use sparingly
- ½ cup cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon naranja agria sour orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for richness
Instructions
- Prep all vegetables: dice tomatoes small and uniform (approximately ¼-inch cubes). Dice red onion even smaller. Seed and mince the ají gustoso as fine as possible to distribute its aroma throughout. If using ají titÍ, mince it extremely fine and use minimally - wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes.
- Combine: mix tomatoes, red onion, ají gustoso, and cilantro in a glass or ceramic bowl. Never metal - it reacts with the acid and changes the flavor.
- Dress: add naranja agria, lime juice, and salt. Stir gently without crushing the tomatoes.
- Rest: let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. The salt draws moisture from the tomatoes and the acid marinates the onion slightly, reducing its sharpness.
- Taste and adjust: add more salt, more naranja agria, or a little ají titÍ for heat as desired.
Notes
Ají gustoso is found at Dominican and Caribbean grocery stores. It looks exactly like a miniature habanero - rounded, wrinkled, intensely aromatic. If unavailable, substitute ají dulce (Puerto Rican sweet pepper) or a tiny amount of orange bell pepper for the aromatic note without heat. Do not substitute with actual habanero - the heat level is completely different.
Nutrition
Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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