What is Sriracha sauce?

Sriracha sauce, pronounced seer-RHA-shah, is basically a hot sauce … with a twist. Although it is only making waves across the world in recent years, it has been in existence since the 1980s. The recipe of this sauce was created by David Tran, an American immigrant from Vietnam. Because he didn’t enjoy the taste of local hot sauce, he simply made his own. Today, Sriracha bottles are quick sellers in grocery stores across the globe and are regularly ordered with food at restaurants.

What are the ingredients in Sriracha sauce?

You might think that the name of the sauce has something to do with its ingredients. It doesn’t. Sriracha is the name of the city on the coast of Thailand. The city is actually called Si Racha, a name its creator chose because of his Asian heritage. This hot sauce is made from very simple, everyday ingredients which include chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. Together, they give it a unique, hot taste with a tinge of sweetness from sugar. Because of the simplicity of the recipe, many manufacturers and people have created their own versions of sriracha sauce to enjoy.

Why is sriracha sauce so famous?

Many people dash their meals with this sauce because they love the taste. It is a favorite among those who enjoy spicy foods and the bitter-sweet taste appeals to millions. You must be warned that this sauce is extremely hot and should not be consumed if you have digestion or bowel conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diarrhea, constipation and gastrointestinal diseases.

What are the health benefits of sriracha sauce?

Hot peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which has been found to have numerous benefits on the body. One of the major advantages is that it causes the release of endorphins. Endorphins are pleasure-inducing hormones that can also be found in foods like chocolate. Endorphins are known for easing body pain and people who suffer from arthritis can eat it to reduce symptoms.

Capsaicin has been found to help with inflammation and itchiness. Again, arthritis patients can benefit from this. Inflammation occurs in many illnesses, including heart and skin disease. This ingredient in hot sauce has shown to kill certain harmful cells, especially prostate cancer cells.

Sriracha sauce is not for the faint-hearted. If you decide to try it and realize too late you can’t stand the heat, there are a number of methods you can try to quench the fire in your mouth.

If the sauce is too hot:

• Eat or drink dairy products. Milk, yoghurt, cheese, sour cream and ice cream have chemical called casein. Casein is a lifesaver if you want to make eating peppers bearable because it can wash the heat off your tongue in minutes.
• Eat grains like pasta, rice and bread. These foods have the power to absorb capsaicin and can ease hotness.
• Drink tomato juice and swirl it in your mouth before swallowing.

If you’d like to make sriracha sauce at home, there are dozens of recipes available to try.