Getting Saucy

Hot Sauces are all the rage these days and manufacturers appear to be in a race to create brand names that are increasingly risqué. No other product can warrant a name like "Smack My Ass and Call Me Sally" "Anal Angst X-Hot Hot Sauce" "Holy Jolokia" " Sphincter Shrinker XXX Hot Sauce" " Ass Blaster Hot Sauce" or "Colon Cleaner". Clearly there's a message here but most hot sauce lovers throw caution to the wind once they have their hands on these lethal condiments.

Gone are the days when Tabasco ruled the roost. Now fiery Habaneros and Scotch Bonnet pepper sauces take center stage. These days serious hot sauce shoppers are looking for words like Apocalypse, Armageddon and Voodoo to determine the best product; the one worthy of making them scream......for more!!

I am no stranger to hot sauces. A quick browse through the contents of my refrigerator will dispel any doubts. I try to keep a wide range and my sauces vary from the mild to the dangerously hot. Asian hot sauces play an important role and when I can't get my hands on a satisfying - "making your ears ring" heat, I just make my own. I think it's fair to post a disclaimer before the recipe since I am unsure of the tolerance levels of my readers. Any side effects/ injuries are purely coincidental and may not reflect negatively on my recipe.

Recipe for Hot sauce: ( I recommend opening up the kitchen windows)

20 dried hot chili peppers

2 sticks celery diced

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 tsp salt ( or to taste )

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

4 tablespoons oil

Soak and grind the chilies to a paste. Heat the oil and saute the celery, ginger and garlic. When it starts to caramelize, add in the chili paste. Continue frying, adding the vinegar a little at a time. Season and cook over gentle heat till the oil separates and the paste gets a rich color. Eat with stir fries, wantons, spring rolls, noodles or use it to spice up any recipe that calls for chili sauce. This sauce keeps well for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.