Gwyneth Paltrow Cooking Series #19: Easy Homemade Sriracha

I have to say, before I made this recipe I’d always purchased Sriracha. I like the kind from the bottle so there seemed little point in making it myself. However, when I saw Gwyneth’s recipe in My Father’s Daughter I wanted to give it a try. It seemed easy enough and since we use it so much I knew it wouldn’t go to waste. Making it myself was definitely an interesting exercise. I never realized how simple it really was! The process takes time, but the steps are very straightforward and it is kind of fun to watch the sauce come together. Though, it did make me wonder how the companies that produce sriracha make such large batches. They must make a thousand times what this recipe makes every single day! As far as condiments go, I don’t think I’ll make this recipe every time I need Sriracha, but the fresh spicy flavor is worth it for small, intimate meals and special occasions. It has a sweet tang from the fresh peppers with just the right amount of cloying acidity from the vinegar. I loved the lift it gave our sandwiches and eggs. It had a ripe summer freshness to it that just isn’t found in the bottled variety. I think I’ll have to make this again soon, it will be perfect for the cooler months when I love to make enchiladas for dinner and huevos rancheros for breakfast!

Homemade Sriracha

adapted from My Father’s Daughter

1 1/4 cups peeled garlic cloves

1 pound red jalapeno peppers, stemmed and sliced

2 1/4 cups rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon light agave nectar

2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce

1. Put the garlic in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover it. Bring the water back to a boil and boil for 30 seconds. Drain the water, refill it with enough cold water to cover the garlic and repeat this blanching process one more time.

2. Once the garlic is blanched, slice it thinly and combine it with the peppers and vinegar in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil for about 3 minutes and then remove it from the heat. Add the agave and salt and stir well. Let the mixture sit for one hours to cool.

3. Pour the cooled mixture into a blender and puree until  smooth. Return it to the pot and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and summer for 10 to 15 minutes, skimming foam as necessary. The sauce should begin to thicken up. Dissolve the arrowroot in 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water to dissolve. Whisk it into the simmering sauce for 2 more minutes until it has thicken to the consistency of ketchup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Stir in the fish sauce.