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« Sriracha Hot Sauce Week |Main
March 08, 2013Help with 3 Indonesian Hot SaucesI’ve been on the hunt for Asian hot sauces this week for a BonAppetit.comassignment. There are tons to explore at Asian markets. The middle-of-the-night heartburn was worth it, I think...
During my search, I came across three unusual ones (above) atLionMarket in Saratoga (San Jose, CA). Lion doesn’t carry super offbeat ingredientsbut once in a while, I discover gems. We didn’t include the three in the BonAppetit round up because they weren’t easily found in Manhattan and Indonesia was well represented in the piece.
That said, I save these three Indonesian “hotties” for VWK. Ilike them but don’t fully understand them. Maybe you can lend your insights?
If you’re familiar with Indonesian chile sauces, the popularones are made by ABC (owned by Heinz). Tuckednear the ABCChili Sauces (Sambal Manis Pedas, Sambal Extra Pedas, and Sambal Asli), I foundmini squirt bottles of Gaga brand of CabeRawit, a green chile sauce, and Dua Belibis brand of Saus Cabe, the red one. They’re both thick, potent and delicious.The green one had more funk than the red one. I preferred the red onemore but the sight of the two made me wonder why the green chile version? Asian hot sauces don’t typicallycome in green. They’re mainly reddish affairs.
Then there was Pohon Cabe brand of Sambal Istimewa, which I fell hard for. The bottle touts itself asa source of Vitamin C but I can’t imagine eating enough to fortify myself withvitamins. I suppose that Pohon Cabe expects you to consume lots of their sauce,as if it’s a source of nutrition. I dig that but won’t try it.
But what is istimewa? Apparentlythe term means special or extraordinary. Online, I discovered Indonesian restaurants and resorts with istimewa as part their names. InMalaysia and Singapore there are streets named Jalan Istimewa.
It seems like istimewa denotesa certain high value that’s more than just saying something is tasty. I am not100 percent sure and would love an assist.
In any event, the Pohon Cabe brand of special hot sauce is damndelicious. Beautifully balanced in flavor and addictive. The bottle says thatit’s “hygenic, healthy, Halal, delicous and safe.” Ingredients included arechile, salt, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and natural spices.
Do you have experience with any of these three Asian hot sauces?I’m wondering about:
How popular are these sauces in Indonesia, andperhaps Singapore and Malaysia? The double duck Dua Belibis brand claims to beIndonesia’s “superbrand.” Is it?What do people typically do with these sauces?Are they simply table condiments or do you cook with them too?Those are my burning questions. If you don’t know the answer, that’sokay. Go out and try to find one of these and take a taste. Are they istimewa to you?
In the moodto go hot sauce hunting? Getyourself to an Asian market! Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Indian markets are fabuloushot sauce hunting grounds. Because things are inconsistently shelved, mine theaisles and end caps. Pay attention to the condiment section filled with jarsand bottles of sauces and seasonings. If there’s a separateIndonesian/Malaysian/Filipino aisle, check it out.
Sometimes, Asian markets group certain brands together so walk aroundand keep your eyes open. And, transport the bottles upright on the way home.Hot sauces are usually well sealed but you never know.
If you find something interesting shoot me a photo and email!
Related post: Sriracha Hot Sauce Week (links to articles and recipes on VWK, BA and BusinessWeek)
Posted in Asian Food Culture, Asian Ingredients | Permalink | |
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Comments Help with 3 Indonesian Hot SaucesI’ve been on the hunt for Asian hot sauces this week for a BonAppetit.comassignment. There are tons to explore at Asian markets. The middle-of-the-night heartburn was worth it, I think...
During my search, I came across three unusual ones (above) atLionMarket in Saratoga (San Jose, CA). Lion doesn’t carry super offbeat ingredientsbut once in a while, I discover gems. We didn’t include the three in the BonAppetit round up because they weren’t easily found in Manhattan and Indonesia was well represented in the piece.
That said, I save these three Indonesian “hotties” for VWK. Ilike them but don’t fully understand them. Maybe you can lend your insights?
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