A recipe for Ti-Malice, a popular Caribbean hot sauce originating from Haiti, typically made with Scotch Bonnet chili peppers. It has an interesting origin story in Haitian folklore and has many variations. This is one of my favorite ways to make it.
Ti-Malice Recipe (Haitian Creole Hot Sauce)
It's time for more hot sauce, my friends! We keep running out of hot sauce in the fridge, so I need to constantly replenish the stock. You know how we are with our hot sauce recipes. Can't help myself! Today we're going Caribbean style, Haitian in particular, because I acquired some amazing Scotch Bonnet peppers.
These are Scotch Bonnet Freeport Orange peppers. They are very fruity chiles with a habanero level heat, so use accordingly.
They will surely bring you a beautiful spice level!
While the taste is excellent, what I love most about this hot sauce is the story behind it. Haiti is rich in folklore, particularly with two famous characters who are the antithesis of one another - Ti-Malice and Bouki.
The Folkore Behind Ti-Malice Hot Sauce - The Real Story
According to the story, Ti-Malice and Bouki are two great friends that are constantly at odds.
Ti-Malice is a witty trickster character, while his nemesis, Bouki, is hardworking but somewhat greedy. Ti-Malice would prepare himself meat for his lunch each day, and each day Bouki would "just so happen" to appear at Ti-Malice's home around that time, obligating Ti-Malice to share his meal.
One day, in order to outsmart Bouki and deter him from wanting his food, Ti-Malice prepares a very hot sauce and pours it over the meat. It backfired, however, as Bouki LOVED the hot sauce so much and even bragged all over town about the oustanding hot sauce Ti-Malice made just for him.
Hence, the name of the sauce "Ti-Malice", which is still popular today.
Let's talk about how to make Ti-Malice! Mike's way!
Ti-Malice Ingredients
The full list of ingredients with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
- Onion.
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers. Or you can use habanero peppers.
- Bell Peppers. Or use other sweet peppers.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Tomato Paste.
- Lemon Juice.
- Apple Cider Vinegar.
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
- Water. To thin out your hot sauce.
How to Make Ti-Malice Hot Sauce
Cook the Vegetables. Heat a saucepan to medium heat and add oil. Add onion and peppers and cook about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook another minute.
Simmer the Hot Sauce. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
Process Until Smooth. Cool then transfer to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
Adjust for salt and pepper. Transfer to bottles for keeping. Enjoy!
Boom! Done! Your Hatian creole hot sauce is ready to serve. Spice it up, my friends! Drizzle this over anything and everything. So good!
Recipe Tips & Notes
Ti-Malice Varieties. There are many variations of this recipe, as you can imagine. Each household makes their own version. The ingredients I've used in our sauce are typical, but other variations include the addition of herbs like thyme or parsley, cloves, chicken broth, tomatoes, and other chili peppers like habaneros.
Some variations replace the hotter peppers, like habanero and Scotch Bonnet, with milder peppers to reduce the heat. You can easily do this yourself if you'd like to tame the flame.
Also, many variations do not process their sauce, but rather serve it in a bowl with a chunky consistency. I prefer it processed so it will serve more as a hot sauce that I can pour.
The choice is yours! I hope you enjoy the recipe. Serve it over meats, such as chicken or fish.
Frequently Asked Hot Sauce Questions
Here are answers to some of the most common questions I get on other sauces:
Storage - How Long Does This Hot Sauce Last?
It should keep a few months easily in the fridge, or even longer. It's all about the acidity. To be technical, target level ph for shelf stable foods is below 4.6 ph, but should probably be lower for home cooks, around 4.0 or so, to account for errors. If you're concerned, add more vinegar to lower the ph. Sauces made with fermented chili peppers will last even longer.
The best ph meters that I recommend are from Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today. I am a happy affiliate.
Where'd you get that sauce bottle?
I find them locally sometimes, but I also order through Amazon. Here is a link to some bottles I like (affiliate link, my friends!): Swing Top Glass Bottles, 8.5 Ounce - Set of 4. If you like the smaller bottles that most hot sauce makers use, here's another link: Hot Sauce Bottles, 5 Oz - 24 Pack.
Can I process this hot sauce for longer storage?
Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures.
Hot Sauce Serving Suggestions
Aside from drizzling it over anything you please, here's a post I created about How to Cook with Hot Sauce. As if you need even MORE reasons to eat hot sauce. I hope you find it helpful!
Check out These Related Recipes:
- Bajan Hot Sauce. Taste the Caribbean heat of Barbados with this fiery hot sauce made with Scotch bonnet chilies.
- Sweet Habanero Chili Sauce
- Pineapple-Jalapeno Hot Sauce
- Caribbean Style Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce
- Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Homemade Caribbean-Style Sweet Chili Sauce
- Caribbean Style Hot Sauce
- Sweet Pepper Chili Sauce
- Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Ti-Malice - Haitian Creole Hot Sauce - Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 Scotch Bonnet peppers or 2 habanero peppers, chopped
- ½ small red bell pepper or sweet pepper chopped
- 3 garlic clove chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Juice from half a lemon
- 1 cups water or more as desired
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan to medium heat and add oil. Add onion and peppers and cook about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook another minute.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
- Cool then transfer to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
- Adjust for salt and pepper. Transfer to bottles for keeping. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 8/11/23 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 10/28/16.
Sarah says
Hey Mike!
Just wondering what kind of onion you use for this? I know it's usually white onion for this kind of thing. If all I have on hand is brown onions, do you think they would do the trick, or would it miss the mark a little?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Sarah. Yes, you can use a brown or yellow onion for this. No problem at all. It really won't affect the flavor much at all. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Logan Wilhite says
This looks like a great recipe and I'm going to try it soon. I'm going to be making the sauce for sale at my local farmer's market put under Texas cottage law it can't contain any tomato product. Is there anything that I could substitute for the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Logan, you can swap in extra peppers and make more of a pure pepper sauce. I think that would work just fine. Good luck!
Alan says
Mike - might you have any of these particular seeds left? Scotch Bonnets are our fav's for great flavored sauces, but I have been unable to find a source for the Freeport Orange variety.
Thanks a bunch, and PLEASE keep up the recipes!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Alan, sorry, no, but check out my Chili Pepper Seed Resources page. I'm sure you'll find some there!
Natalie says
I have kind of a basic question, but do you take out the seeds & ribs before adding the habanero peppers? Or do you leave those in?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Natalie, no, you do not have to remove them. You can if you'd like, though. Removing the pepper innards will reduce the overall heat a bit. The choice is yours. Enjoy!
Miles says
Thanks for the recipe Mike, it was my first time making any chilli sauce, it turned out great and is delicious!
Many thanks from Sweden 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Miles! Super happy it turned out for you! Thanks!
JERRY TAYLOR says
I grow Carolina Reapers,How do you think they would work ,Start up you can't eat your sauce might be the ticket .JT in Az.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jerry, Reapers would work nicely in this sauce. Let me know how it turns out.
Shaye says
Would dried peppers work in this recipe? I prefer fresh, but I can't seem to find any place that sells hot peppers near me.
REPLY: Shaye, yes, you can rehydrate the peppers then make this sauce. I would lightly toast them in a dry, hot pan first, then rehydrate. Let me know how it turns out for you. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Steve says
Made this one for Christmas gifts last year & it went down a storm. Planning on making some more this weekend.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome!!
Emilio says
COuld you scale this up? Like maybe 10 bottles?
REPLY: Emelio, yes, thiswould easily scale. Good luck! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
kinkin says
How long does this sauce last?
REPLY: Kinkin, this will last several months or longer in the refrigerator. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Xero says
I am going to start with breakfast using this sauce
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That would be perfect!
Yassine says
I love to eat hot sauce with all my meals including breakfast and really enjoy trying different flavor and the hotter the better.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's GREAT, Yassine. Glad to hear it!