The Best 10 Asian Hot & Chilli Sauces You Must Try
Are you a spice lover looking to take your Asian food experiences to the next level?
Asian hot and chilli sauces are great for adding a distinctive combination of heat, flavour, and aroma to your dishes. This can make the ordinary, extraordinary.
Today, we shall share our top 10 Asian hot and chilli sauces from East and Southeast Asia that you must try!
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#1 Sriracha (Thailand)
Sriracha sauce is a moderately spicy sauce originating from Thailand. It is made from red chilli peppers, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and salt. This iconic sauce is a must-have in any kitchen and brings a mixture of tanginess, sweetness and garlic. Its smooth texture makes it an all-round condiment great for many food items and dishes. We even love using Sriracha on traditional Western foods including pizza and pasta.
- Spice Level: Medium
- Great For: Stir-fries, ramen, dips and marinades
- Fun Fact: Many people incorrectly pronounce Sriracha as "See Rah Cha" instead of "See Rotch Ah", which is the correct Thai pronunciation.
#2 Gochujang (Korea)
Gochujang is a fermented red chilli bean paste that has been a staple in Korean cuisine for centuries. It is made from a mixture of red chilli pepper, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, and salt. Gochujang paste is spicy and rich in umami with a hint of sweetness. There's also a slow-building heat due to its fermentation. It's versatile and we love using it with many dishes ranging from bibimbap to toppoki and even Korean fried chicken.
- Heat Level: Medium
- Great For: Bibimbap, toppoki, Korean fried chicken, kimchi fried rice
- Fun fact: Gochujang ferments for an extended period, lasting 2-3 months or more.
#3 Sambal (Indonesia)
Sambal is a hot chilli sauce or paste popular in Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Sambal is made primarily from ground chilli peppers. To this is added other ingredients such as vinegar, salt, scallions, garlic and lime juice. The result is a delightfully sweet and spicy taste. We find it great as a cooking sauce as well as a condiment to spice up dishes such as nasi lemak and laksa.
- Heat Level: Mild to High
- Great For: Sambal prawns or squid, nasi lemak and curry laksa
- Fun Fact: In Indonesia alone, there are over 300 varieties of sambal, each one distinct from the other.
#4 Sweet Chilli Sauce (Thailand)
Thai sweet chilli sauce is a popular Asian sauce which is great for those who prefer a balance of sweet, sour and light heat. Thai sweet chilli sauce is commonly made from red chilli peppers along with ingredients such as sugar, vinegar, garlic and fish sauce. Although sweet chilli is a popular Thai condiment it is commonly used in a range of cuisines including Chinese cooking where it is a popular dip.
- Heat Level: Mild to Medium
- Great For: As a dip for spring rolls, prawns, dumplings, chicken and much more
- Fun Fact: Mix it with mayonnaise to create sweet chilli mayonnaise which tastes great, especially as a rich dip or burger sauce.
#5 Chilli Oil (China)
Chinese chilli oil is an essential staple of Chinese cuisine. This family of spicy, aromatic chilli oils is made by infusing chopped or powdered chilli peppers with hot vegetable oil. Common types of oil include sesame, soybean and peanut. Other ingredients such as onions, garlic, black beans and Sichuan peppercorns are then added to this mixture. The result is a bold condiment that we love for turning up the heat of your dish. In terms of taste, dried chillies add heat, while other ingredients such as garlic and other spices give it a more complex flavour.
- Heat Level: Medium to High
- Great For: Dip for dim sum or roast meats
- Interesting fact: Sichuan chilli oil is one of the most famous types of Chinese chilli oil. It contains numbing Sichuan peppercorns, adding a unique tingly sensation to the heat.
#6 Wasabi (Japan)
Wasabi is a pungent, spicy paste made from the wasabi plant, known for its sharp, intense heat. Wasabi originated in Japan, where it has been used for centuries for sushi and other foods. The key ingredient is the wasabi rhizome which is the base of the stem from which the roots and shoots grow from. It is this rhizome that is grated into a wasabi paste. The result is a piercing, clean heat that is quite short-lived and reminds us a bit of horseradish and mustard.
- Heat Level: High
- Great For: Sushi dishes, Poke balls, Pasta sauce
- Interesting Fact: Real wasabi is quite rare and expensive. To reduce costs many "wasabi" products outside Japan are made from horseradish.
#7 Yuzukosho (Japan)
Originating from the Kyushu region of Japan, Yuzukosho is a spicy, citrusy chilli paste that's made from yuzu peel, chilli peppers, and salt. Yuzukosho is traditionally used to add flavour to nabemono, types of Japanese hot pot soups such as ramen and miso soup. It is also a popular sashimi and sushi condiment. We recommend trying yuzukosho as a salad dressing or for marinating fish and vegetables before cooking.
- Heat Level: Medium
- Great For: Sushi, Ramen, Miso Soup, Salad Dressing and Grilling and Roasting fish and vegetables
- Interesting Fact: "Kosho" means pepper in Japanese, but yuzukosho is made from chilli peppers, not black pepper.
#8 Buldak Sauce (Korea)
Buldak sauce is a very spicy sauce that is used to make the popular Korean spicy chicken dish, buldak. This popular street food or light meal means "fire chicken" in Korean and is popular for its extreme hotness and hint of sweetness. Buldak is made primarily from gochujang (fermented red chilli peppers), gochujaru and chilli flakes. To this is added a combination of secondary ingredients including sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, rice syrup and sugar. We love buldak for making Korean spicy chicken but also for topokki (Korean rice cakes) and ramen.
- Heat Level: Very high
- Great For: Korean fire chicken, Topokki and Ramen
- Fun Fact: Gained widespread fame due to its extreme spiciness following the "Fire Noodle Challenge," which uses buldak sauce.
#9 XO Sauce (Hong Kong)
XO sauce is a popular spicy seafood which started in Hong Kong. The sauce features dry scallops and prawns cooked with chilli peppers, scallions, garlic and other spices. In some versions, fish and ham can be used. The result in any case is a umami-filled spicy sauce that's overflowing with taste and texture. We love adding it to everything from stir-fries to fried rice as well as noodles and even dim sum.
- Spice Level: Medium
- Great For: Stir-fries, Fried rice, Noodles, Dim Sum, Pasta Sauce, Pizza Topping
- Fun Fact: Originating in 1980s Hong Kong XO sauce is named after XO cognac which was seen as a status symbol.
#10 Sweet Chilli Sauce (Vietnam)
Vietnamese sweet chilli sauce is similar to its Thai cousin but is often described as being less sweet, more tangy and more refreshing. The sauce is made from a slightly different combination of chilli peppers, sugar, vinegar, garlic and fish sauce compared to Thai sweet chilli sauce. It is widely used in Vietnamese cooking and we love it, especially with fried foods, rolls and seafood.
- Heat Level: Low to Medium
- Key Ingredients: Red chillies, sugar, vinegar, garlic and fish sauce.
- Interesting Fact: In Vietnam, people use sweet chilli sauce as a spread in their banh mi sandwiches for the added sweet and spicy flavour
Final Word
That wraps up our opinion of the best Asian hot and chilli sauces that you must try.
It's easy to get started as these sauces go well with so many dishes including Western ones. However, remember they all have distinct personalities so taste around to find the perfect match for your taste buds.
Whether you like a milder taste or one that's hot as fire, these sauces will take you on an adventure full of flavour and spice.
