A bottle of the Huy Fong brand "Sriracha" hot sauce.

Sriracha (Thai: ศรีราชา [sǐrātɕʰā]) is the generic name for a Thai hot sauce named after the seaside city of Si Racha, in the Chonburi Province of central Thailand, where it was first produced for dishes served at local seafood restaurants. It is a paste typically made from sun-ripened chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. The puree pronounced /sɪˈrɑːtʃə/ primarily produced by Huy Fong Foods and common in United States^[1] and Vietnam is drastically different from the Thai paste from which it takes its name.

[edit] Flavor

The flavor of both Thai and popular non-Thai versions is dominated by its central ingredient, hot chilies. To achieve a blend of hot, sweet, and spicy, other items such as sugar, salt, garlic, and vinegar are typically added. Traditional Thai Sriracha tends to be tangier, sweeter, and thinner than non-Thai, which is often thicker in texture.

[edit] Common uses

Sriracha is frequently found as a dipping sauce, particularly for seafood. Beyond its native boundaries Sriracha serves as a general-purpose hot sauce in a variety of cuisines, appearing anywhere from a condiment for Vietnamese phở to a topping for sushi rolls and pizza in the United States. It is frequently found in teriyaki bars across the United States. Sriracha is occasionally used in lieu of ketchup, as on buffalo wings, French fries, or eggs.

[edit] Huy Fong's Tương Ớt Sriracha

Sriracha was popularized in America by Huy Fong via his Tương Ớt Sriracha. ^[1] This sauce is considered even by Huy Fong himself to be an inauthentic imitation of Thai Sriracha aimed at an Asian-American and American audience.^[1] It is also known colloquially as "Rooster Sauce", or "Cock Sauce," due to the rooster featured on its label.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Huy Fong Foods Inc.
• Golden Mountain brand "Sriraja Panich"
• Edge, John (May 19, 2009). "A Chili Sauce to Crow About". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html. Retrieved 2009-05-20.