Sriracha: What It Is, How to Use It and Substitutes
What is sriracha?
The sauce is named after Si Racha, a town in Chonburi province on the Gulf of Thailand. It was created there in the 1930s and eaten as a dip with fish and seafood. To make sriracha, ripe red chillies are ground with garlic, salt and sugar, mixed with vinegar and puréed until smooth. In 1980 David Tran, who had emigrated from Vietnam, founded the company Huy Fong Foods in Los Angeles. His sriracha, made from red jalapeños, is thicker, more garlicky and less sweet than the Thai brands. This version with the green cap still shapes what people in Europe understand by sriracha.
Flavour and uses
Sriracha tastes hot, tangy, slightly sweet and distinctly of garlic. The heat is medium, and a dollop on a bowl of noodle soup is easy to handle. In Vietnamese restaurants in North America and Europe it sits on the table next to hoisin sauce when Pho is served, and everyone seasons their own bowl. In Vietnam itself, people tend to reach for local chilli sauce. It belongs on the grilled rice paper snack Banh Trang Nuong. A teaspoon adds heat to the glaze for the Japanese chicken wings Tebasaki. In everyday cooking sriracha works stirred into mayonnaise as a dip for chips and sushi, in marinades for grilled meat, and over fried eggs and fried rice. It is better for seasoning at the end than for cooking, as long heating takes away its freshness.
Buying sriracha: what to look for
You can get sriracha at any Asian grocer and in most supermarkets, usually in squeeze bottles. The Thai brands are thinner and sweeter, the American version thicker and hotter. Try both, as they are not interchangeable. Check the ingredient list. A good sauce starts with chilli, not with water or sugar, and contains no colouring. If you rarely eat spicy food, buy the smaller bottle, as the sauce loses quality as it ages.
Storage and shelf life
Vinegar, salt and sugar make sriracha keep well. Once opened, the bottle lasts several months in the fridge. At room temperature it does not spoil quickly, but over time it darkens and loses heat. A brownish sauce has not gone off, it has simply aged. If it smells fermented or there is mould around the neck of the bottle, throw it away.
What can you use instead of sriracha?
The best substitute is quick to mix. Stir 2 tbsp sambal oelek with 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp rice vinegar and a small, finely grated garlic clove, then blend briefly. If you prefer it smoother, add 1 tbsp tomato purée. Sweet chilli sauce is too sweet and too mild, Tabasco too sour and too thin. Gochujang works in marinades, but tastes fermented and malty.
