Sick of sriracha? Try Sambal Oelek, an Indonesian chilli sauce that’s easy to make in minutes, by blending red chillies, salt and either vinegar or lime juice together. Or buy a jar ready-made.
If I were to be consigned to a desert island and could take only one spicy condiment it would be molho apimentado from Brazil
Will 2024 be the year of hot sauce? The Guinness Book of Records recently certified the world’s hottest chilli, Pepper X. In case you’re wondering, hot peppers are rated for heat on the Scoville Scale, created by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. It measures the amount of capsaicin (the chemical compound that causes spicy heat) in a pepper and assigns it an SHU (Scoville Heat Unit) rating.
However, my love of the stuff is not about extreme heat, but rather the vast array of flavours that accompany it. From smoky chipotle to fruity scotch bonnets, habaneros, ghost peppers and more, hot sauces are no longer just about intensity; now they are far more focused on nuanced taste. Lee Kum Kee Garlic Chilli Sauce is my favourite, alongside Momofuku Chili Crunch and Extra Spicy.
The range of spicy, chilli-based condiments available in local supermarkets, as well as specialist outlets, is growing by the day. We are in the age of craft condiments. Why not spread your hot sauce wings? The banana ketchup I tried for the first time in St Lucia recently was a revelation. Sweeter than its tomato counterpart, but with a delicious kick from green chilli heat. It works just as well on hotdogs and French fries as it does on jerk chicken and rice.
One I had never heard of until I happened upon a jar in an airport is Haitian mamba peanut butter, spiced up with scotch bonnet chilli and served with noodles, salads, or whatever else you fancy.
Spice of life / Bored of generic hot sauce? Try these
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13.03.2024
Sick of sriracha? Try Sambal Oelek, an Indonesian chilli sauce that’s easy to make in minutes, by blending red chillies, salt and either vinegar or lime juice together. Or buy a jar ready-made.
If I were to be consigned to a desert island and could take only one spicy condiment it would be molho apimentado from Brazil
Will 2024 be the year of hot sauce? The Guinness Book of Records recently certified the world’s hottest chilli,........
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