Pepper.
Chili sauce, also called hot sauce or chili sauce, is any variety of hot sauce made with chili peppers. Chili sauce is common in many chili-producing countries around the world. Hot sauce varieties are generally classified based on the chiles used and the amount of heat in the sauce, determined by the Scoville Scale.
In North America, hot sauces vary by region. Mexican hot sauces tend to be less hot and more flavorful than other varieties, often using smoked chipotle peppers as a base. Louisiana-style chili sauce is usually much hotter and often uses cayenne or tabasco pepper as a base. In the West Indies, there are a variety of versions, most with Scotch Bonnet or habanero peppers to heat the sauce. These tasty varieties often include unusual ingredients like tropical fruits, cloves, and lemon.
A cayenne pepper.
Asian hot sauce is generally used as a sauce or added ingredient in stir-fries, as opposed to the prevalence of North American varieties as a condiment. While some varieties, like Chinese Duo Jiao, are extremely hot, many Asian chili sauces tend to be sweet rather than hot. In California, the traditional Vietnamese chili sauce has become a popular topping for French fries. Japanese hot sauces are often mixed into soups and noodle dishes, or used as a sauce for dumplings like gyoza.
Hot sauce can be used as a topping for French fries.
The reason that peppers and hot sauce taste hot is due to a chemical called capsaicin. This naturally produced chemical is mildly irritating to humans and causes a burning or warm sensation in the mouth when ingested. The heat of a variety of bell pepper is measured using a method called the Scoville scale.
The scale and its resulting Scoville heat units measure heat by determining at what level a pepper’s heat is no longer detectable. By diluting the pepper extract with sugar water until the capsaicin reaction no longer occurs, the Scoville scale creates a rating of how hot the pepper is. Anaheim peppers are rated between 500 and 2,500 units, making them one of the milder peppers, while the Naga Jolokia pepper from India is considered the hottest pepper in the world, with a rating of 855,000 to 1 041 427 units.
Mexican hot sauces often use chipotle peppers.
To make your own hot sauce, chop fresh peppers or rehydrate dried ones and mix with vinegar, garlic, salt, and any extra ingredients you prefer. Some recipes tell you to boil the mixture to make a reduction, others recommend simply pouring the blended or processed ingredients into a sterilized glass jar, cover, and refrigerate. Be careful when preparing fresh chili peppers, as their chemicals can cause burning sensations on the skin, especially the eyes. You can wear clean oven mitts when handling peppers.
Habanero peppers are sometimes used to make a particularly strong chili sauce.
Chili sauce is a great sauce for appetizers or vegetables. It is traditionally served with Southwestern and Central American cuisine as a condiment. If you’re making a stir fry or pasta dish, try adding a few tablespoons of pepper during cooking. If you have a very thin liquid sauce that can be sold as chili oil, try adding a few drops to your popcorn. Using hot sauce adds a delicious twist to any meal, and as you experiment, you’ll discover your own preferences for heat level, strength, and favorite hot sauce dishes.