Sriracha Sauce

Sriracha is named after Si Racha, a fishing town on the eastern Gulf coast in Chonburi province. A local cook is said to have first made the sauce in the early 20th century, and in the 1930s it was bottled and sold under the name Sriraja Panich. Today the name is famous worldwide, mostly because of an American version made in California.

Thai versus American sriracha

Thai sriracha is thinner, tangier and usually sweeter, with a lighter, fresher heat and more vinegar and garlic. The American rooster-bottle sauce is thicker, hotter and less sweet. Thai brands also come in different strengths, often marked with a mild, medium or hot label.

How it is used

In Thailand, sriracha is a dipping sauce, not a cooking ingredient. It is served with kai jiao (Thai omelette), hoi tod (crispy oyster or mussel omelette), fried and grilled seafood, fried chicken and spring rolls. In Si Racha itself it is the classic sauce for fresh seafood.

Buying and storing

Look for Thai brands such as Sriraja Panich or Golden Mountain. Refrigerate once opened; it keeps for months.

Thai brands

Sriraja Panich is the brand that grew out of the original family recipe. The family sold it in the 1980s to Thaitheparos, the company that also makes Golden Mountain sauces, and it is still the bottle most Thais think of as the real thing. Other Thai and Thai-style brands are widely sold, often in several heat levels. Check the label: Thai sriracha is made from chillies, sugar, garlic, vinegar and salt, and should taste bright and sharp rather than heavy.

Using it at home

• Pour a little into a saucer next to fried eggs, omelettes or fried fish, rather than stirring it into the cooking.
• Serve it with hoi tod, fried spring rolls, fishcakes and grilled squid or prawns.
• Keep a bottle with your morning khao tom (rice soup) or fried rice for those who want extra heat and tang.

Cook’s tip

Try Thai sriracha with a crispy fried egg on rice. It is one of the simplest and best Thai breakfasts.