Home-made Peri-Peri sauce

Prep time 5 minutes.
Cook time 20 minutes.
Total time 25 minutes.
Recipe type: Peri-Peri, Sauce, Condiment
Serves: 3 cups.

Ingredients
2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and roughly chopped.
1 cup African bird's eye chillies, stems removed.
2 red bell peppers, seeds removed and roughly chopped.
3 ripe tomatoes, skins removed and roughly chopped.
4 tablespoons olive oil.
Juice and zest of 3 lemons.
⅓ cup red wine vinegar.
2 tablespoons sugar.
1 tablespoon salt.
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper.
2 bay leaves.
1 tablespoon dried oregano.
1 tablespoon smoked paprika.

Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor/blender and mix until all the ingredients are finely chopped and the mixture is quite saucy. Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent the sauce from burning.

After 20 minutes, check the seasoning and adjust. The sauce should be well balanced with a good kick of spice and sourness from the lemon and vinegar. Pour into jars/bottles and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes
If you'd like to preserve this sauce, make sure your jars/bottles are well sterilized. Fill them to the top with the sauce and seal immediately.