Sriracha Chilli Sauce (Prik Siracha, Sawd Prik)
by Kasma Loha-unchit
Click picture for a larger image.
This smooth, orangish red sauce with a consistency similar to light ketchup, originated in the coastal province of Sriracha on the eastern seaboard of Thailand. Because the waters off Sriracha are known to be shark infested, a well-known brand of this imported sauce has a shark as its logo. The sauce comes in different degrees of hotness, the hottest usually sporting a “strong” sticker near the lid; there is also a “medium” which is as mild as you should use for most Thai recipes.
Sriracha chilli sauce is sometimes referred to as Thai Tabasco sauce, but it really is unlike Tabasco, being less vinegary, sweeter and more garlicky. Used at the table similarly to Tabasco sauce to add quick heat and chilli flavor to finished dishes, it is also used in cooking in combination with other flavoring ingredients. Perhaps the best known Sriracha sauce in the United States is the Rooster Brand, “Tuong Ot Sriracha.” I do not recommend this brand as it contains (completely unnecessary) preservatives.
Refrigerate after opening to keep fresh.
Because in America the most widely known brand of Sriracha is a Vietnamese brand, many people mistakingly believe it cames from Vietnam. No. It originated in Sriracha in Thailand.
Our Ingredients Index contains links to many more Thai ingredients.
Andrea Nguyen has written a very good blog entry Sriracha Taste Off: Thailand vs. America vs. Vietnam. (Offsite, opens in new window.)