Chile Paste

chile paste Used as a condiment and as an ingredient in many East and Southeast Asian cuisines, chile paste, also known as hot pepper paste, is a blend of red chiles, salt, vinegar, and sometimes garlic. We prefer those without the garlic. Our favorite when cooking Chinese food is Koon Yick Wah Kee brand, made in Hong Kong; it has a very smooth texture and good flavor. Sriracha is a common Thai chile paste, used as a condiment and sometimes as a flavoring. It is chile-hot, and widely available from Southeast Asian groceries. Indonesian versions of chile paste are called sambal oelek; Vietnamese versions are called tuong ot tuoi.