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