I can’t explain the sudden popularity of this chile sauce. It’s been around since the early twentieth century in Thailand, and has been available in the United States since 1980. The most popular brand in the U.S. is made by Huy Fong Foods, a company that was started by Vietnamese refugee David Tran. He named his company after the ship that brought him out of Vietnam. Also called “rooster sauce” because of the label design, demand has exceeded supply so much that Tran doesn’t need to advertise. If you have jumped on the Sriracha bandwagon, this is the salt for you. Use it on anything that could use a spicy punch— popcorn, fried potatoes, ramen noodles, grilled seafood, and sliced tropical fruits. I like to use a big flaked salt for this one, but it works with any salt you choose.

　　

Ingredients

1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce

　　1 cup unrefined sea salt

　　

Step 1

Stir the chile sauce and the salt together thoroughly. Spread it out into a thin layer on a dry baking sheet and set in the sun for 1 to 2 days, until dry. Alternatively, you can dry it in a dehydrator, or in an oven set at 100°F overnight, until dry. When completely dry, break up any clumps with your fingers or a spoon, and transfer it to a container with a tight-fitting lid.

　　

Variation

Step 2

You can use any chile or hot sauce you like for this recipe. My favorite is Green Tabasco!

　　![Salt] (https://vulcan.condenastdigital.com/epi/photos/57f6800555b91353353be334/master/pass/SALT_Cover-100616.jpg)From Salt: The Essential Guide to Cooking with the Most Important Ingredient in Your Kitchen © 2016 by Leslie Bilderback. Reprinted with permission from St. Martin's Press.Buy the full book from Amazon.