Sriracha is a chili sauce originally from Thailand, but has evolved outside of Thailand causing confusion for some Thais and visitors. It contains ground chiles, vinegar, salt, and garlic, and is often flavored with lemongrass or lime. It is used as a condiment and can vary in heat and sweetness.
Sriracha is a chili sauce originally from Thailand. Outside of Thailand, sriracha has evolved to become slightly different from its original, causing some Thais to be confused when offered sriracha while traveling and creating equal consternation in visitors to Thailand when confronted with traditional-style sriracha. Thai. Most Asian markets carry this sauce and it has become very popular in many regions of the world, often showing up in very particular places.
Whether a bottle of sriracha is made in the original Thai style, or by a company outside of Thailand, it contains chiles that are ground into a paste before being preserved in vinegar, salt, and garlic. Sriracha paste is typically flavored with garlic as well, to give it an extra bite. Depending on the amount of sugar used, the sauce can be simply incendiary or hot with a complex layer of sweetness. Many companies also make flavored sriracha with additional ingredients like lemongrass or lime.
The sauce is named after the Thai port city that originally made it. In Thailand, sriracha is a traditional, locally made condiment, one of many chili sauces available for purchase. Typically, the sauce isn’t extremely stable, requiring refrigeration after opening; outside of Thailand, sriracha is often made with preservatives so it can be kept at room temperature, and the texture tends to be thicker.
Sriracha sauce is designed to be used as a condiment and has a huge assortment of uses. Many people use it on a variety of Thai dishes to add an extra burst of heat, and it’s also used more generally in Asian cooking. As a result, many Asian restaurants have sriracha available on the table for those looking to spice up their food. The sauce has also crossed the lines of Asian cuisine, appearing with everything from buffalo wings to pizza, and is sometimes blended with other seasonings to make salad dressings and sandwiches.
The heat of sriracha sauce can vary, depending on the flavor and manufacturer. As a general rule, the sauce is relatively mild, compared to other chili sauces, and hot food enthusiasts can dunk food in sriracha to achieve the desired level of heat. The tangy zing of the garlic and the sweet hit of the sugar also add a layer of complexity to sriracha that is enjoyed by some consumers.
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