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3 Chili Sauces for Street Food Business: Carretillero, Polleria & Rocoto
Three essential Peruvian chili sauces used in street food: the classic aji carretillero (cart-style), mild aji de polleria (chicken shop style), and a spicy rocoto cream. Perfect accompaniments for any piqueo or street food setup.
Ingredients
Aji Carretillero
- 3 pcs aji amarillo (seeded)
- 0.5 pcs red onion (diced)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 0.25 bunch cilantro (chopped)
Aji de Polleria
- 100 ml evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp huacatay (paste)
Rocoto Cream
- 2 pcs rocoto pepper (seeded and cleaned)
Steps
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1For Rocoto Cream: Clean the rocoto peppers carefully (capsaicin irritates skin). Remove seeds and veins. Blend with a splash of oil until smooth and creamy.Tip: Wear gloves when handling rocoto — capsaicin is no joke~5 min
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2For Aji Carretillero: Blend aji amarillo with diced red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and a touch of oil. Keep it slightly chunky for authentic texture.Tip: This is better after resting 30 minutes for flavors to meld~3 min
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3For Aji de Polleria: Blend aji amarillo with evaporated milk, mayonnaise, and huacatay paste until smooth and mild. Adjust salt.Tip: This should be mild enough for kids — add more milk if too spicy~3 min
Nutrition (per serving)
45
Calories
1g
Protein
4g
Carbs
3g
Fat
1g
Fiber
Cultural Context
Aji carretillero gets its name from the street food carts (carretillas) that line Lima's streets and plazas. Each carretillero vendor has their own secret aji recipe — it's what brings customers back. Aji de polleria is the mild, creamy sauce served at Peru's ubiquitous rotisserie chicken shops (pollerias). Rocoto, a Peruvian hot pepper with a fruity flavor, contains capsaicin and is always handled with care. These three sauces represent the trinity of Peruvian street food condiments.