Fairfield High School students their Amaliso chutney Picture: Michael Lloyd

IT is a sauce so versatile that it complements foods as varied as fish and chips, rice, pizza and salad. And its creators, students at a secondary school in Horfield, are hoping to persuade a manufacturer to bring their Somali-style preserve to the masses.

The students devised the recipe for their Amaliso chutney after testing it among young people and staff at Fairfield High School, where 70 nationalities are represented.

They worked with their school cook to develop the Somali Shidni sauce, creating four flavours, original (tamarind), carrot, coconut and dates, and are carrying out further taste trials with students, staff and parents at school events.

The team of nine, aged 14 and 15, then offered samples to the public at an event in Cabot Circus, where more than 200 shoppers tasted the product and gave it an enthusiastic reception.

Teacher Charmaine Clarke said their research showed that the sauce, which can be used as a dip, salad dressing or meat seasoning or on burgers, hot dogs, and with chips, would fill a gap in the market.

The students, from countries including Sweden, Jamaica, Kenya, Holland, Ethiopia, Norway and Somalia, decided on the name Amaliso as an anagram of Somalia. They are now in talks with manufacturers about production of the sauce.

The teenagers’ efforts earned them a place representing the West of England in the South West regional finals of the national Young Enterprise competition next month. If they succeed against teams from Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire areas, they will go through to the UK final in London in July.

The team were overall winners from ten schools in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset, taking three of the nine titles – best Bristol school, best business adviser and company programme winner.

Ms Clarke said she was proud of the Year 10 students, who were competing against Year 12 pupils from other schools, for dealing with challenges including the loss of two link teachers and team members and problems in sourcing some ingredients.

Caroline Tarbuck, West of England Young Enterprise manager, said the team had shown great resilience.

She said: “They overcame hurdles and became stronger and more focused as a result. The YE West of England board and I wish them massive success at the South West final.”

Source: Bristol Post