Chili sauce and paste

Chili sauceandchili pastearecondimentsprepared withchili peppers.
Chili sauce may behot,sweetor a combination thereof, and may differ fromhot saucein that many sweet or mild varieties exist, which is typically lacking in hot sauces.Several varieties of chili sauce includesugarin their preparation,  such as the Thaisweet chili sauceand Filipinoagre dulce, which adds sweetness to their flavor profile.Sometimes, chili sauces are prepared with redtomatoas primary ingredients. Many chili sauces may have a thicker texture and viscosity than hot sauces.
Chili paste usually refers to a product whose main ingredient is chili pepper. Some are used as a cooking ingredient, while others are used to season a dish after preparation. Some arefermented with beans, as in Chinesedoubanjiang, and some are prepared withpowdered fermented beans, as in Koreangochujang. There are regional varieties of chili paste and also within the same cuisine.
Chili sauces and pastes can be used asdipping sauces,cooking glazesandmarinades.There are many commercial varieties ofmass-producedchili sauce and paste.
Ingredients typically includepuréedor choppedchili peppers, vinegar, sugar and salt, that are cooked, which thickens the mixture.Additional ingredients may include, water, garlic, other foodstuffs, corn syrup, spices and seasonings.Some varieties use ripe red puréedtomatoas the primary ingredient.
Chili oilis a distinctive Sichuan flavoring found mainly in cold dishes, as well as a few hot dishes. Chili oil is made by pouring hot oil onto a bowl of dried chilies, to which some Sichuan pepper is usually added. After steeping in hot oil for at least a few hours, the oil takes on the taste and fragrance of chili. The finer the chili is ground, the stronger the flavor (regional preferences vary; ground chili is usually used in western China, while whole dried chili is more common in northern China.)
Chinese chili sauces usually come as a thick paste, and are used either as a dipping sauce or in stir frying.
Doubanjiangoriginates fromSichuan cuisinein which chilis are used liberally. It is made from broad bean or soybean paste, and usually contains a fair amount of chili. It is often referred to in English as "chili bean sauce".
Guilin(Kweilin) chili sauce (Guìlín làjiāojiàng桂林辣椒醬) is made of fresh chili, garlic and fermented soybeans; it also is marketed as soy chili sauce (la jiao jiang and la dou ban jiang are not the same thing, though they look vaguely similar in the jar).Duo jiao(duò jiāo 剁椒) originates fromHunan cuisine, which is reputed to be even spicier than Sichuan cuisine.Duomeans chopped, andjiaomeans chili.Duo jiaois made of chopped red chilis pickled in a brine solution, and has a salty and sour pickled taste; it is the key flavoring in the signature Hunan dishduòjiāo yútóu(剁椒魚頭), fish head steamed with chopped chili.
XO sauceis spicy seafood sauce fromHong Kong.It is commonly used in southern Chinese regions likeGuangdongprovince.
Yongfeng chili sauceis a traditional fermented hot sauce.
You la jiao(油辣椒, fried chili in oil) is aGuizhou-style chili oil sauce, with fried bits of ground chili and other crispy ingredients.Chili crispis a similar condiment mainly composed of crunchy soybeans and chili.Lao Gan Mais a famous maker of both products.
Rāyu(chili oil), is the same asla jiao you, and is often used for dishes such asgyoza.
Yuzu koshōis a Japanese fermented paste made from chili peppers,yuzupeel, and salt.
Kōrēgūsu, made of chilis infused inawamoririce spirit, is a popular condiment to Okinawan dishes such asOkinawa soba. The word "kōrē" refers to Korea (Goguryeo).
Chili oilused inKorean cuisineis made by addinggochugaru(Korean chilipowder/flakes) to hot oil (usuallysesame oiland/orvegetable oil) in the final stage of stir-frying and before adding water, in soup dishes likeyukgaejangandsundubu-jjigae.
Dadaegiis a chili paste made by mixing ground or minced red, and dried red chili peppers (or chili powder/flakes) along with ground or minced garlic, onions, ground black pepper, salt or soy sauce, sugar, meat stock, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds. It is added to dishes likenaengmyeon(cold noodle soup) ordwaeji-gukbap(pork soup with rice) to add spiciness.
Gochujang, or red chili paste,is a savory, sweet, and spicyfermentedcondimentmade withchili powder,glutinous rice flour,meju(fermented soybean) powder, barleymaltpowder, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured withsaccharifyingenzymes during the fermentation process.Traditionally, it has been naturallyfermentedover years injangdok(earthenware) on an elevated stone platform, calledjangdokdae, in thebackyard.
Ssamjangis a thick, spicy paste eaten with grilled meat, often inssam(vegetable wraps), inKorean barbecue. It is made ofdoenjang(soybean paste),gochujang(chili paste),sesame oil, onion, garlic, green onions, and optionally sugar.
Jaew bongis a sweet and spicy Laotian chili paste.
Sambalis a generic term for many varieties of chili-based sauces popular inBrunei,Indonesia,Malaysia.SingaporeandSri Lanka. Most of sambals are traditionally made using stone pestle and mortar, according to each recipe. Nevertheless, there are some bottled mass-produced sambal brands today.Saus Cabai(Indonesia) orSos Cili(Malaysia and Brunei), a category of its own, uses tomato puree, chili juice, sugar, salt and some other spices or seasonings to give the spicy, but not too hot, taste. Some countryside commercial varieties usebird's eye chili(cili padi,cabai rawitorburung) together with its seeds to raise the level of heat (piquancy) of the sauce. Variants include the typical concoctions with ginger and garlic (for chicken rice) and variants that are made into gummy consistency as with ketchup/tomato sauce.
InIndonesia, the bottled commercially available chili sauce is known as bottledsaus cabai. They are also commonly known as bottledsambal. However, unlike the coarse textured and richly flavored traditionalsambal, this bottledsambalor chili sauce has an even gloppy texture similar to those of tomato sauce, and rather simple hot flavor. Unlike traditionalsambal, enrichened withshrimp paste, the commercial sambal sauce usually uses finely blended red chili pepper and garlic, and sometimes a little bit of sugar, without any addition of shrimp paste.
The generic term fordipping saucesin thePhilippinesissawsawan, which may or may not include chilis. Unlike sauces in other Southeast Asian regions, mostsawsawanare not prepared beforehand, but has to be assembled on the table according to the preferences of the diner. As such, chilis are usually optional. However, there are also native sauces and pastes which utilize chilis as main ingredients.
The most common is the traditional Filipinosweet and sour sauceknown asagre dulce(oragri dulci) which is made fromcornstarch, salt, sugar,labuyo chilis, and tomato orbanana ketchup. It is the traditional dipping sauces of fried dishes likelumpiaorokoy.
A similar sauce used for fried street food appetizers is known simply as "manong's sauce" or "fishball sauce". It is named aftermanong, a term of respect used for an older man inTagalogand the most common way of addressing street food vendors. It is made with flour or cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, labuyo chilis, ground pepper, andmuscovadoorbrown sugar. Lime or lemon-flavoredcarbonatedsoft drinksmay also be used.
Another spicy condiment used for street food is the "siomai sauce" or "chili garlic sauce". It is usually eaten with Philippinesiomai. It uses minced labuyo chilis, garlic, and powdered dried shrimp or finely minced meat simmered in water and then oil. It takes on a flavor similar to Chinesechili oilinfused dim sum sauces, which is its ultimate origin. It is typically spritzed withcalamansibefore eating.
Among theMaranao people, another notable condiment is thepalapa, a very spicy condiment made fromsakurab(native scallions), ginger,turmeric, and labuyo chilis. It is an ubiquitous accompaniment to Maranao meals.
Thais put raw chilies on a very wide variety of food, in lieu of chili sauces. Chili sauces are eaten as condiments but they can also be used as an ingredient.
Nam phrikis the generic name for a Thai chili dip or paste. A Thai cookbook from 1974 lists over 100 different recipes.Nam phrik phao(roasted chili paste),nam phrik num(pounded grilled green chili paste) andnam phrik kapi(chili paste made with fermentedshrimp paste) are some of the more well-known varieties.  Many Thai dipping sauces (nam chim) contain chili peppers.Nam chim chaeouses ground dried chili peppers to achieve its spiciness. Available worldwide isnam chim kai, also known as "chili sauce for chicken" or "Thai sweet chili sauce".Phrik nam plaisfish sauce(nam pla) with chopped raw chilies, lime juice and sometimes garlic.Sriracha sauceis a Thai chili sauce, originally from the town ofSi Racha, Thailand.
Sriracha sauceis a type of hot sauce or chili sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. It is named after the coastal city ofSi Racha, in theChonburi ProvinceofEastern Thailand, where it was possibly first produced for dishes served at local seafood restaurants.
A type of chili sauce is Thaisweet chili sauce,which is used as a dipping sauce, a marinade, and for cooking, such as instir frieddishes.The company Mae Ploy is a major manufacturer of Thai sweet chili sauce.Most major supermarket chain stores in North America carry Thai sweet chili sauce.Sweet chili sauce is used inThai cuisine,and is also sometimes used in the preparation ofsushi.
Some versions ofNam phrik, a range of chili-based, hot sauces typical ofThai cuisine, are sweetened with sugar.
Vietnamesetương ớt(chili sauce) is made from sun-ripened chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. It is very popular in Vietnamese cuisine, often used in a wide variety of foods.
Chili (Hindi: mirch), fresh, semi-dried or dried, is a crucial ingredient throughoutSouth Asia, with multiple strains having arrived through Portuguese trade from the sixteenth century.  Many varieties are now popular in different parts of the sub-continent such asNaga ChillifromNagaland,Chamba ChukhfromHimachal Pradesh,Guntur ChillifromAndhra Pradesh, Jwala Chilli fromGujaratamong others. Hot sauces proper, however, were not common until recent decades, as varieties such asbhut jolokiaandnaga morichattained global fame.
In Nepal, Nun-khursani is a popular condiment made with salt and chilli peppers like Akabare on a grinding stone called asilauto. This is often used as achutneyand can be eaten with many meals and snacks likedal bhat, roasted corn, grilled chicken, cucumbers, oranges, and more.
Chilli Chutneyis an Indian chilli pepper condiment with spices and herbs.
Shatta (Arabic: شطةshaṭṭah) is a popular hot sauce made from wholly grounded fresh chili peppers by mixing them with oil (usuallyolive). Vinegar, garlic, or other spices are commonly added. There are two varieties of Shatta: green and red. The red variety is made with tomatoes. It is made frompiri piri, or similarly hot peppers. The degree of hotness varies according to the type of chili used and preference of the maker (homemade Shatta is usually hotter than commercial brands). Commonly used infalafelsandwiches,hummusdishes, or as a condiment.Muhammara(Arabic:محمرةmuḥammarah) is a hot pepper dip made fromAleppo pepper, groundwalnuts, dried bread, and olive oil. Other spices and flavorings may be added. It is served as a dip or spread for bread or as a sauce for fish and meat. The dish is also known in Turkey, where it may be calledacuka.
Harissais a popular hot sauce used in Tunisia and elsewhere in the Maghreb (especiallyAlgeriaandLibya). It is usually made from ground red birdseye chili peppers with olive oil, garlic, cumin and coriander although caraway is sometimes used instead of cumin and recipes vary. The sauce is of a dark red grainy texture. It is sometimes spread on bread rolls but also used as a condiment with a variety of meals. Tunisian Harissa is much hotter than that found in neighboring countries. Cap Bon is a popular brand of Harissa. Harissa is often sold in tin cans. Harissa is also popular inIsrael, on account of immigration of Maghrebi Jews.
Biber salçasıis a Turkish red pepper paste.
Sahawiqis produced by grinding fresh peppers with garlic, coriander, and sometimes other ingredients. It is popular both in Yemen and in Israel, where it was brought byYemenite Jews, and where it is called סחוגs'khug.
Shitois a Ghanaian chili sauce.
Nali Sauceis a style of piri piri chili sauce.
Shigniis a Somali chili sauce orchutney, made fromchili peppers,onion,garlic,tomato,lemon juice,cilantroand so on.
Peri Peri sauce is a style ofpiri pirichili sauce used byNando'sChicken fast food restaurants.
Harissais a chili paste based on roasted red peppers and olive oil, seasoned with garlic, coriander seed and other herbs.
AdjikaMingrelian and Adjika Abkhazian (Georgia)
Erős Pista(lit. "Strong Steve") andPiros Arany(lit. "Red Gold") hot pepper paste, both made from minced hotpaprika(Capsicum annuum L.); paprika is commonly grown in Hungary and both hot and mild paprika are in common usage there.
Piri piriis the popular chili sauce; the term "piri piri" came to English through the Portuguese language through contact withPortuguese Mozambique.
Many influences reflecting the increasingly diverse ethnicity of its population. Common styles available in supermarkets are:
ThePacific Islandsare influenced by Asian and European cuisines. Hot chili sauce is a thickChinesestyle sauce. Sweet chili sauce is aThaistyle sweet dipping sauce. Peri Peri sauce is aPortuguesestylepiri pirisauce.
Ajíis a spicy sauce that often contains tomatoes, cilantro (coriander), ají pepper, onions, and water. It is prepared in Andean countries such asBolivia,Colombia, andPeru.
PeruandBolivianmedium hot, frutal rocoto sauces are popular.
Hot saucesare used extensively in the Caribbean.
Mexican chili sauces are known assalsa(literally "sauce").
Pepper jellyis made in the United States.