Sriracha, the so-hot-right-now chili-garlic sauce, can take foods from popcorn to tuna sandwiches to startling new heights.
By Lynn Andriani
The Ingredient That Changes Everything
The Party App In Need Of A Cool Drink(01 of06)
Stuffed mushrooms are a classic appetizer that most cooks make in a similar way, with herbs, bread crumbs, garlic and cheese. Adding the Southeast Asian hot sauce sriracha (pronounced sir-rotch-a) to the mix, which Randy Clemens explains how to do in his book, The Veggie-Lover's Sriracha Cookbook, gives an unexpected twist to the familiar. Serve these handheld bites as a party snack; their spice is a perfect match to cold beer or refreshing white wine.
Get the recipe: Stuffed Sriracha 'Shrooms (credit:Leo Gong)
Get the recipe: Stuffed Sriracha 'Shrooms (credit:Leo Gong)
A Totally Remade Tuna Sandwich(02 of06)
This recipe has you bake fresh fish and flake it into large pieces; but even if you use tuna that comes in a can or pack, the sriracha-sesame sauce makes a humdrum lunch taste brand new. You wrap the tuna in large Bibb lettuce leaves, along with slices of cucumber, avocado and scallions; halved grape tomatoes; shredded Napa cabbage; cilantro and a dash of the spicy sauce.
Get the recipe: Fresh Tuna-Vegetable Wraps (credit:Illustration: Joel Holland)
Get the recipe: Fresh Tuna-Vegetable Wraps (credit:Illustration: Joel Holland)
The Salt That You'll Use Everywhere(03 of06)
Chefs agree that seasoning your food with salt is key to creating a dish with full flavor -- and if you want a little more kick, sriracha salt might become your new favorite ingredient. Clemens' recipe is easy: You mix the sauce with kosher salt, spread it out on a baking sheet and let it sit in a hot oven for a few hours. Then, you can use it in a number of ways. Here are just a few: coat the rim of a cocktail glass for a killer Bloody Mary, sprinkle it over popcorn or even use it to bring a new dimension to mozzarella-and-tomato salad.
Get the recipe: Sriracha Salt (credit:Thinkstock)
Get the recipe: Sriracha Salt (credit:Thinkstock)
The Foolproof (And Not-At-All Boring) Shrimp Dinner(04 of06)
Spicy chili sauce, together with limes and some pantry staples, is all you need to turn grilled shrimp into a fresh and zesty meal. It's delicious on top of a bed of greens or a bowl of brown rice.
Get the recipe: Spicy Shrimp (credit:Ditte Isager)
Get the recipe: Spicy Shrimp (credit:Ditte Isager)
Guac That Gets Its Oomph From A Different Pepper(05 of06)
Although guacamole is usually made with green jalapeno, swapping in red-chili-based sriracha lends a deeper flavor (along with the signature heat). Stirring in a half-cup of cooked edamame (soybeans) gives the dip additional texture, and minced basil leaves brighten all the flavors. Try eating it with Japanese rice crackers instead of the usual tortilla chips to keep with the Asian theme.
Get the recipe: Edamame Guacamole (credit:Thinkstock)
Get the recipe: Edamame Guacamole (credit:Thinkstock)
The Addictive Spread for Sandwiches, Fries And More(06 of06)
You can follow chef Spike Mendelsohn's directions for homemade French fries and from-scratch mayonnaise to a tee -- or you can just steal the idea, and use frozen fries and store-bought mayo. Either way, the recipe's sriracha mayonnaise component is going to become your new go-to condiment, great with everything from fries to BLTs.
Get the recipe: Spike's Village Fries with Sriracha Mayonnaise (credit:The Good Stuff Cookbook)
Get the recipe: Spike's Village Fries with Sriracha Mayonnaise (credit:The Good Stuff Cookbook)