While you are browsing some of my recipes you will notice that many of them have this ingredient “Bisbas Ahmar Adani” or red chilly sauce [Adeni style]. Every home in Aden has a bottle of this in the refrigerator. I remember days when I would put open the fridge and realize I have run out, and then run down to the neighbors for a little bit to make lunch for that day. It’s absolutely necessary for Adeni cuisine. Some add garlic to the mix, but I don’t like to do that because some recipes don’t require garlic. If you can’t buy these dried red chilies from Aden, you can find some at your local grocery store in the Mexican section. You’ll find many kinds, but the kind that Adenis use are these:
Alright, so you will need to first cut off the stem to the chili pepper and get the seeks out. It’s okay if you can’t get all of them out, the rest will add some flavor. Then soak the peppers overnight [if you are in a hurry to use you can boil them until they are soft, but know that you are sacrificing flavor]. Then blend into a fine semi paste like sauce. Make sure you blend well, or else you will have pieces of the chili pepper that will get stuck in your throat–it makes for an uncomfortable experience. Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.
Here’s the process in pictures for you:
Cut them with scissors or leave whole
Soak in water
Soaked overnight
Blend well
- Done!
A Yemeniyah's Recipes 
[…] 7) 1 tsp of red chilly sauce [Bisbas Ahmar Adani] […]
Thank you every much .i am from birmingham and love to follow your reciepes.could you please post how to make bisbas Ahmar Adani the version one that has spieces and herbs (cumin,zatar etc,the one eaten with rice.
KEEPING ADDING NEW POST !
Jazaak Allah Khayr brother Sami for visiting my blog. Did you mean the cooked one with fish called “Mutafayyah”. — مطفاية. If so let me know insha Allah and i will post it as soon as possible.
No not the one with fish,i recall in yemen you get it when you buy chips,potatoes from streets,shopping centres ,its like a watering chilli sauce.but seens you mentioned ‘mutafayyah’ please post the recipe.i dont know what it is so it will be a new thing for me.
sister keeping posting new recipes ramadan is coming up soon .would like to try a find new ideas.
just would like to say that im properly your number one fan
Oh yes Sami. It is just the very same one as above, but they add salt, cumin and sometimes lemon as well and pour it on the chips that they sell. It isn’t cooked or anything.
Insha Allah will make the Mutafayyah sometime soon. I make it all the time, but it’s gone before I can take a pic of it Maa Sha Allah. Yes, Ramadan is coming soon, and insha Allah i will be posting them soon. I have a few but still so more yet to make insha Allah.
Thanks for being my number one fan :)
great recipes! I bookmarked your website.
Jazaaki Allah Khayr Sarah. Spread the news of the blog and if there are recipes, ideas, feedback let me know. Always rooms for improvement.
Need more recipes to try,this is the best website i have found that following the recipes you end up with the perfect result.
Insha Allah and Jazaak Allah Khayr–that makes me feel better that they’re accurate. That was the point really of me measuring when my mum was teaching me. Usually in Yemen our mother’s cook without measuring, they do it by “feeling the amount is what the dish needs” and although i can cook that way too, i found it more beneficial in teaching others to give them exact measurements.
Which ones have you tried with this Bisbas so far? I have quite a few i believe.
Lamya
I have tierd so far
bataat abu humar
shafuut
farolee
aseed
lahoh
hulb
zahaweg
iraian rice
Maa Sha Allah you have been busy. Look in the fish section, lots of recipes with Bisbas there as well. Let me know if you can’t find them and I will post for you insha Allah.
Lamya
i have found them thank you but i am not to kin on fish
could you please include the recipes for the following as well
Rashoosh
kader
[…] 1 tblsp of red chilly sauce [ click here for details about […]
I like this bas baas Adani but I could,t find here Australia, but I found similar one called Kashmirian chili and I mix with Tamarind yummy shigny
[…] Bisbas Ahmar [red chilly pepper […]
Salaam ale kum
Do you have a recipe for adaas (red lentil stew)? My mother-in-law makes it in Aden. I’ve got a version I made up as I went along, but would like your take on it. I’ve made your khobz like paratha, and my husband (who is Yemeni) loves it.
Marie
Wa Alaikum Assalaam–
Insha Allah will ask my mum and a friend since i had it at her place the last time i was in Yemen.
Lamya
Salaam alaykum,
I once had this with fish at Yemeni friends house and have not forgotten it ever since! If you are in the UK, can you let me know where I can buy this dried chilli or the powdered form if it exists? Also, do you happen to know the English name for the type of dried chilli that is Bisbas? I really want to make the fish recipe on your website, but don’t know where to get hold of the bisbas.
Great website, Thanks!
Wa Alaykum Assalaam Lena,
Do you have any Mexican stores in England? They would have them. If not then the Indian stores would. Insha Allah.
Next time i get some dried chillies I’ll look at the name and let you know Insha allah.
Thank you :)
Lamya
Salam sister
I live in the UK and I just wanted to know where I could buy Bisbas Ahmar Adeni sauce or find the chillies used in the sauce.
Thank you sister
Wa Alaikum Assalaam Sister Amina,
Do you have any Mexican stores? If you do they have a variety of dried chillies.
Lamya
[…] on tight and place in the sun. I put mine out in the balcony. After about a month or so, add some ground chilly paste . Just make sure it is not runny. Make it nice and thick. Add it to the ingredients and leave out […]
Salaam Dr Lamya, i made this chilli sauce today and found the mixture to be super spicy and hot, i got regular indian indian dried chillies that look exactly like the ones you posted, is this sauce ment to be that hot and spicy? i was tearing up as i was blending it!
thank you sister.
Wa alaikum asslaam
Yes the indian ones are really hot. I use the Mexican ones — the big ones . Flat and long . They are mild like the ones we use in Aden .
Lamya