Hot Stuff – Picante
May 17, 2010 No CommentsMexican hot sauce – hot enough to sting the tongue. Most Mexican hot sauces (sauce is salsa in Spanish) – they come in all heats – from bell pepper mild to habenero hot – are made uncooked from fresh ingredients and must be refrigerated to reduce bacterial growth.
The photo shows some of the ingredients in red salsa cruda (raw sauce). Tomatoes and carrots make it red, jalapeño and onion make it hot. Lime juice, garlic, cilantro and fruits are also commonly added.
It’s easy to make a fresh salsa – chop up the ingredients, mix together, pour lime juice on top and serve. If you don’t like it so hot, use a milder chili pepper. Some chefs prefer to mix everything in a blender or use tomato sauce instead of raw tomatoes to give it a smoother texture.
It’s better to make too little than too much. The tomatoes and other fruits make the mixture a friendly environment to grow bacteria. If it tastes like it has fermented – it’s way too old to eat. Store bought salsas are pasteurized before packing and may have vinegar to increase the acidity and retard bacterial growth.
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