| There is nothing like a dash of hot sauce to | | | | every region boasting of their native BBQ |
| liven up even the blandest of all dishes. In | | | | sauce. Thus you have the fiery Texas variety |
| fact, true to the genre of sauces all over | | | | with a tomato base, the vinegar and tomato |
| the world, the hot sauce is not only an | | | | based Arkansas variety tempered down by |
| accompaniment but also does honors as the | | | | molasses, the white mayonnaise based Alabama |
| prime ingredient in many dishes. | | | | type and the black pepper, mustard and |
| | | | vinegar concoction hailing from South |
| The term hot sauce could not have been more | | | | Carolina. |
| apt for it refers to any hot and spicy sauce | | | | |
| made from chilly peppers or chilly extracts | | | | For all the fire they spew, hot pepper sauces |
| and vinegar. Thus, you can have sauces made | | | | are easy to prepare. |
| from any kind of chilly pepper (i.e., the | | | | |
| fruits of plants hailing from the Capsicum | | | | Take a few peppers (the number wholly depends |
| family) like red peppers, habaneras or | | | | on how hot your sauce will be) like habanera |
| tabasco. The Tabasco sauce is the most | | | | or tabasco, a cup of water, 1/3 cup red wine |
| popular amongst all the hot sauces available. | | | | vinegar, one bell pepper, a tablespoon of |
| | | | paprika, salt to taste and cumin if you so |
| How hot your hot sauce is going to be is | | | | desire. Chop or grind the peppers and boil it |
| determined by the type of pepper being used. | | | | with all the ingredients. Lastly, crush this |
| Thus, you have the bell pepper with a | | | | heady mixture in a blender. Your hot pepper |
| barely-there taste at one end of the spectrum | | | | sauce is ready. |
| and the robust habaneros, which will work up | | | | |
| quite a steam, at the other end. | | | | A word of caution |
| Interestingly, it is a substance called | | | | |
| capsaicin, which imparts the characteristic | | | | While working with pepper and pepper sauces, |
| heat to the pepper. | | | | do remember to don the gloves. Some peppers |
| | | | are nothing short of live ammunition and are |
| The hot sauce is a popular constituent in | | | | known to cause skin irritation and are |
| many Mexican and Cajun dishes and in Thai and | | | | especially nasty when they get into the eyes. |
| Vietnamese cuisine. However, its most | | | | |
| widespread use is, as a barbequeue | | | | There is more to a pepper than just the tangy |
| accompaniment. | | | | taste. Peppers are storehouses of vitamins A, |
| | | | C and E, potassium and folic acid. So apart |
| Barbecue sauce is poured onto grilled or | | | | from the distinct taste, the hot sauces also |
| barbecued meat. It is also used as a dipper. | | | | impart some nutritional value to the dishes |
| A hot barbecue sauce is usually a blend of | | | | they grace. |
| sweet, sour and spicy elements and the most | | | | |
| popular combination contains tomato | | | | The hot sauce holds its own in whatever dish |
| flavorings, vinegar and sugar. | | | | it appears. As the saying goes, like it or |
| | | | loathe it, you just cannot ignore it. |
| Barbecue sauces come in myriad forms, with | | | | |