Sriracha Chili Sauce

I am just going to admit that before our son Matthew suggested I always have Sriracha at my vending booth, I had no idea really much about it. Yes, I saw it on tables at Asian and Vietnamese restaurants, but never venture in the direction to use it.

WELL, that has changed. Not only do I use it I find that I get EXCITED just at the site of that red sauce in the bottle with the green tip on a table, it is truly everywhere. What is really fun to see is that all age groups love it. I have however seen people take large amounts of it, after being warned of its heat, and regretting it big time.
Sriracha has become one of the biggest selling hot sauces in Asian markets; you can also find it now in grocery stores with the other traditional hot sauces. Huy Fong Foods,INC., one of a couple Asian wholesale businesses, stated that it is their most popular sauce. The description they give is that Sriracha is made from sun-ripened chilies which are ground into a smooth paste along with garlic and packaged in a convenient squeeze bottle. It is excellent in soups, sauces, pastas, pizzas, hot dogs, hamburgers, chowmein or on anything else, to give it a delicious, spicy taste. As in all our sauces, we use only the highest quality ingredients and never any artificial colors or flavorings.

Last week I took our son and his friend Steve to the Drunken Noodle, downtown Fargo. Matt ordered a traditional soup, “Pho Ga.”  When it came, the Sriracha was the first thing he grabbed—before his chopsticks! 

Anyway I have a couple of recipes for you to try. I also have a Remoulade that you can use on anything but which goes well with fish. There is a great Pho Ga recipe. I would make this soup with a friend or group, as it takes some time to put together. Ah but it is worth it.

There are many different recipes too that use Sriracha. I found the following on a blog about it. Can you believe it there is even a blog about hot sauce, go figure.

The following recipes were adapted from Greg Gilbert, Jackson & Wheeler from the HOT Sauce Blog, Sriracha Chili Sauce

Sriracha Remoulade

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sriracha
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sriracha Spicy Buffalo Wings
6 chicken wings
Oil for frying
3 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 tablespoons sriracha
1 tablespoons butter, softened
Baby mache or other lettuce to garnish

Fry the chicken wings until crispy. In a bowl, combine the red-hot sauce, sriracha, and butter. Toss the wings in the sauce and serve. Garnish with baby mache or other lettuce

Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005
Show: Emeril Live Episode: Vietnamese Cuisine

1 stewing hen, about 5 pounds
2 pounds chicken bones or chicken necks
4 quarts cold water
1 ounce fresh ginger, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 pound rice vermicelli (bun)
1 whole cooked chicken breast (2 halves), thinly sliced
8 to 12 fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnishing soup
4 to 8 fresh basil sprigs, for garnishing soup
4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnishing soup
2 cups fresh bean sprouts, for garnishing soup
2 limes, cut into wedges, for garnishing soup
2 to 3 sliced fresh jalapeno, Serrano, or Thai chile peppers, for garnishing soup
Sriracha chili sauce, for serving
Fish sauce, for serving

Cut the hen into 8 pieces and discard any excess fat. Rinse chicken bones and necks with cold water and place in a stockpot. Add the water and ginger and bring to a boil. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 3 hours; do not allow the liquid to boil to ensure a clear broth.

Remove and discard the hen and bones. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve or chinois lined with cheesecloth. Return the broth to a large soup pot and continue to simmer until reduced to a volume of 2 1/2 or 3 quarts. Season with salt, to taste, and keep hot while you assemble the remaining ingredients.

Prepare the rice vermicelli according to package directions. Once done, transfer to a colander and drain well. Rinse well under cold running water. Drain thoroughly before using. (The noodles may be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead of serving.)

When ready to serve the soup, for each serving ladle 2 cups of the hot broth into a large soup bowl. Quickly dip the cooked noodles in the remaining hot broth to rewarm, then place a handful of noodles in each bowl. Divide the sliced chicken breast between the bowls, laying the slices over the top of the noodles. Serve the soup immediately, with the fresh cilantro, basil, mint, bean sprouts, lime wedges and jalapeno peppers in baskets on the table for each person to garnish their own soup, as desired. Add chili sauce or fish sauce, to taste, if desired.

Cook time ~3 hrs to cook / level ~ easy/ Yields 4-6 servings

Have a great week, eat well and stay safe until next week.

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