Home Made Sriracha

I’m not absolutely sure how long this recipe lasts so, tempted as I was to double up the ingredients, I’ve left it as it is and assume it needs to be kept it the fridge. Vietnamese Sriracha sauce usually has a rooster on the bottle, prompting my brother to call it “hot cock sauce.” You would not believe he's straight!

250g red chillies

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1tsp flaked sea salt

240ml white vinegar

2tbsp palm sugar

Obviously the boy is having nothing to do with this. Put everything except the sugar into a bowl and in the fridge overnight. I think cider vinegar would go well here. Palm sugar has a kind of fudgy taste. I buy it solid in a tub and need to take shavings from it. Our garlic is fresh, sticky and strong, from the Isle of Wight. It's hard to say which chillies to use. I'm using Thai red chillies, seeds in.

Next day add the mixture to the sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir well so the sugar dissolves. The Rough Guide to Vietnam goes on the CD Player to ensure the right amount of steamy heat. 

Transfer to a blender and get it really smooth. I think we often only give things a quick whizz in a blender, where chefs will happily give something 5 minutes to get it really smooth. Give it 5 minutes to get it really smooth. Pass it through a fine sieve and jar it up. It will give look a dark orange rather than red, but this is as it should be.  Wonderful dabbed on noodle things, chicken things, lamb things, prawn things…..