Sriracha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sriracha (Thai: ศรีราชา, pronounced /siːrətʃə/)[1] is the generic name for a Thai hot sauce named after the seaside city of Si Racha, in the Chonburi Province of central Thailand, where it was first produced for dishes served at local seafood restaurants. It is a paste typically made from sun-ripened chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. An Americanized puree, primarily produced by Huy Fong Foods, is drastically different from the Thai pastes. It has become a common condiment stateside.[2]
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[edit] Flavor
The flavor of both Thai and popular non-Thai versions is dominated by its central ingredient, hot chilies. To achieve a blend of hot, sweet, and spicy, other items such as sugar, salt, garlic, and vinegar are typically added. Traditional Thai Sriracha tends to be more tangy, sweet, and thinner than non-Thai, which is often thicker in texture. Versions featuring lemon grass, ginger, galanga and other exotic flavors have been introduced in Thailand for the export market.[citation needed]
Originally exclusively a fresh sauce domestically consumed, Sriracha sold as a prepared product typically contains preservatives such as potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite, and citric acid.
[edit] Common uses
Sriracha is frequently found as a dipping sauce, particularly for seafood. Beyond its native boundaries Sriracha serves as a general-purpose hot sauce in a variety of cuisines, appearing anywhere from a condiment for Vietnamese phở to a topping for sushi rolls and pizza in the United States. It is occassionally used in lieu of ketchup, as on buffalo wings, French fries, or eggs. It is also used as a distinct ingredient at eating establishments from franchises like Applebee's to exclusive restaurants, as with Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Perry Street in New York City.[2]
[edit] U.S. trademark
The first mass marketed Thai-produced Sriracha, and widely regarded as the original,[citation needed] is made by Sriracha Panich (Thai: ศรีราชาพาณิชย์). Sriracha Panich was eventually taken over by the Thai Theparos Food Products Public Company Limited of Thailand which continues to market the sauce under the label "Golden Mountain Sriracha Panich". Panich is Thai for "commercial".
Thai Theparos Food Products filed a trademark for Sriraja Panich in 2002 but the application was never completed.[3]
[edit] Pronunciation and nicknames
Although the name is sometimes pronounced in other ways by non-native speakers, SEE-rah-chah is the native Thai pronunciation attributable to the fact that the double consonant 'sr' does not occur natively in Thai speech. The name is of foreign, probably Sanskrit, origin. [1] [4] It is sometimes referred to as Rooster Sauce (due to the packaging), also "Cock Sauce."
[edit] Huy Fong's Tướng Ớt Sriracha
The popular Tướng Ớt Sriracha (pronounced SIR-rotch-ah,[2] a Vietnamese pronunciation deviation for Sriracha chili sauce) of American Asian food shops, restaurants, and tables is a proprietary product produced by Huy Fong, which has trademarked the name there since 1990.[5] Some Americans refer to Huy Fong's product as "rooster sauce,"[6] or "cock sauce,"[7] after the fowl posed in its logo.
Huy Fong's sriracha was developed in early 1980s by David Tran.[2] It has been described as a "polyglot puree with roots in different places and peoples."[2] Tran, a Vietnamese of Chinese heritage, started making sauces in 1975. He moved to Los Angeles in January 1980 where claims to have created the sauce for use in Vietnamese pho, although he also wanted to sell it to a wider audience.[2] Huy Fong's sriracha has been cited as a key ingredient in many American restaurants from high-end establishments (Perry St. in New York City and Reef in Houston, Texas), to major chain restaurants (Flemings, P. F. Changs, and Applebee's), and street food vendors (Kogi in Los Angeles).[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Thai speech.
- ^ a b c d e f g Edge, John (May 19, 2009). "A Chili Sauce to Crow About". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-20.
- ^ U.S. Trademark for Sriraja Panich Filed July 3, 2002 (Abandoned because mark designs were inconsistent and 6-month waiting period expired.)
- ^ Amphoe Si Racha#Name
- ^ U.S. Trademark for Tuong Ot Sriracha. Registration #1,617,813, October 16, 1990.
- ^ Martin, Chuck (October 31, 2001). "Sriracha sauce hot 'Korean ketchup'". The Cincinnati Enquirer. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2001/10/31/tem_sriracha_sauce_hot.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-27.
- ^ Sytsma, Alan (February 8 2008). "A Rooster’s Wake-Up Call". Gourmet magazine. http://www.gourmet.com/food/2008/02/sriracha. Retrieved on 2009-01-27.
[edit] External links
- Huy Fong Foods Inc.
- Golden Mountain brand "Sriraja Panich"
- David Tran: The Emperor of Hot Sauce, Los Angeles magazine, April 2001
- Edge, John (May 19, 2009). "A Chili Sauce to Crow About". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-20.
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