Aji amarillo is available at Peruvian markets and some Mexican markets (as well as online) in fresh, canned, paste form, or dried. The paste (which is just boiled, blended fresh aji amarillo) is probably the most common, and is well-worth purchasing if that’s all you can find. And since most sauces involving aji amarillo call for paste instead of minced chiles, it’s certainly a time-saver. If you’re wary about adding yet another chile to your pantry, keep in mind that aji amarillo tastes different from other more widely available capsicums. It’s a perfect everyday chile to compliment a meal without overwhelming it, as versatile and inimitable as it is delicious.
I personally prefer them dried; I like the concentrated, sweeter flavor reminiscent of raisins or sun-dried tomatoes, and they remain just as subtle and rounded as their fresh counterparts. Dried chiles are also convenient: you can buy as many as you like since they’re good for years, and then only use what you need, unlike with canned varieties.
