Hot Stuff – Sriracha
May 18, 2010 1 CommentMoving from the Americas to Asia, the people of Thailand consume a massive amount of “hot stuff”. Thailand is one of the few places in the world where a large percentage of the population actually has gastrointestinal issues simply because they have such an appetite for hot chilies. On the other hand they tend to stay slim because all the spicy food speeds up their metabolisms.
The seaside city of Si Racha in central Thailand is the home of one of the hottest of sauces. Sriracha sauce is a paste of Thai chili peppers, vinegar, sugar, garlic and salt originally created as a dipping sauce.
Oddly enough, outside Thailand, the sauce tends to be thicker and hotter. Locally produced Thai sriracha is thinner, sweeter and tangier. Sriracha sauce is used in America to spice up sushi, pizza, teriyaki, eggs, french fries, buffalo wings and soups – I’ve probably forgotten a few more uses.
Did you know that the Sriracha sauce in the rooster bottle we use here is not actually related to the one they use in Sri Racha, Thailand? It was invented by a Chinese man born in Vietnam, David Tran. He produced it first in 1975, then immigrated to America five years later and brought it with him. See http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1