Sriracha: Some Like It VERY Hot

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First, it's important to clear up some confusion. "Sriracha" as a general term is a type of hot sauce from the coastal city of Si Racha of Thailand. It is believed that it was first served as a condiment to seafood in local restaurants, and is made from a combination of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. There can be variations in the sauce consistency and flavor based on the manufacturer and country of origin; the sauce is also popular in Vietnamese cuisine, where it is regularly served as a condiment for pho, spring rolls and fried noodles.

The specific Sriracha sauce known to most in the United States, and recognizable by its iconic rooster label, is a Sriracha sauce made by Huy Fong Foods, Inc. Huy Fong Foods began in 1980 in Los Angeles, California, producing by hand a Pepper Sat Sauce. The recipe came from the company founder, who had been producing it in his home country of Vietnam before coming to the States. As the company grew they added additional products to their line of sauces, including their now famous and much in-demand version of Sriracha.

What makes their Sriracha so good, and so popular today with cooks and food lovers everywhere? The secret seems to be in the simplicity of Huy Fong Foods recipe and their dedication to quality ingredients. There are no artificial colors or ingredients, just "sun ripen chilies which are ground into a smooth paste along with garlic and packaged in a convenient squeeze bottle" as their website promises. The brilliant red-colored sauce not only looks delightful on the plate but packs a serious yet complex taste. It's not just a hot sauce about adding heat; it adds a richness of flavor to almost any dish that becomes addictive once you've developed a taste for it.

I first encountered Sriracha sauce on the table of my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Philadelphia, some ten or twelve years ago. Back then, I had to shop in Chinatown markets in order to track down a bottle to use at home. Today, Sriracha has become so popular that it is easy to find in many large supermarkets and grocery stores everywhere. People are discovering how Sriracha complements far more than just Asian cuisine, using it on everything from tacos to pizzas and hamburgers.

Learn more:

Sriracha sauce - Wikipedia

Sriracha sauce (Huy Fong Foods) - Wikipedia

"A Chili Sauce to Crow About" - The New York Times

On Amazon you can find extra-large bottles, 2-packs to save money, and even single-serve packets so you can always get your Sriracha fix while on the go!

People are getting more and more creative with the ways they use Sriracha Chili Sauce - and so can you! It doesn't have to just be a quick topping or side sauce for dumplings, rolls, sandwiches and stir fries. You can mix it into your cooking in other ways, for instance:

• Sriracha meat and seafood marinades. Try Grilled Sriracha Marinated Chicken, Beer and Sriracha Marinated Beef Skewers with Green Chile Sauce, or Sriracha Marinated Pork Chop with Asian Kale.
• Sriracha and eggs. Sriracha and eggs seem to go together perfectly. But don't just serve it with your scrambled eggs; try a Creamy Avocado Sriracha Egg Salad, Sriracha Deviled Eggs, or even Deep-Fried Eggs with Sriracha Remoulade.
• Delicious Sriracha salad dressings. Give a spicy kick to a ho-hum salad by making Sriracha Balsamic Vinaigrette, or even Sriracha Thousand Island Dressing.
• Spicy Sriracha soups. Jazz up a boring or bland soup by adding Sriracha from the start! Why not try Red Lentil and Sriracha Soup, Vegetable Soup with Sriracha, Lemongrass, and Tofu, Fire Roasted Corn Chowder with Sriracha, or a Tangy Sriracha Pumpkin-Parmesan Soup with Fried Sage Leaves
• Sriracha pasta? You bet! Why not try Sriracha Marinara and Meatballs for a spicy dinner surprise, or a Creamy Sriracha Pasta Bake, or freshmade Sriracha Spaghettini Aglio Olio?
• Sriracha sweet and spicy desserts. Surprise your dinner party guests with an outrageous dessert like Whisky-Sriracha Candy, or perhaps Sriracha Ice Cream Sandwiches!

These cookbooks will give you plenty more inspiration on creative ways you can use Sriracha sauce in your cooking. You can even learn to make your own homemade version of the sauce, to customize to your personal tastes.

Know someone who can't get enough of that spicy red sauce? Then check out one of these cool novelty items that could make a perfect birthday or Christmas gift for them!

These mini-keychains are cute—and handy! You can fill them with Sriracha and make sure you've always got some on hand no matter where you go. And of course you can find t-shirts and other attire celebrating Sriracha, even baby clothes to show you're getting the little ones off to a "hot" start in life!