I started making hot sauce when I moved to the Dominican Republic where generally locals are not accustomed to spicy food. The first time I went to buy hot peppers, the vendor gave me the whole box for free because he knew he wouldn’t sell them. I started experimenting with a vinegar-base with peppers, onion, garlic, salt, and sugar. In the past year, I have experimented more with the original hot sauce that I have been making for over 6 years and realized that it needed a recipe makeover. The first experiment was roasting the peppers to let off more of a smokey flavor. Then, I experimented making a brine (salt and filtered water) to ferment the vegetables before blending them. And well, we have a winner! I love the fermented hot sauce for the tanginess that it adds to the overall flavor. Making this is super simple and it is highly encouraged to explore with ingredients that you have on hand.
First, heat up filtered water so that the salt will dissolve easier in the water. While heating up the water, cut all of the peppers and other ingredients that you want to ferment. Mix the peppers and other vegetables, and then pack them in a glass jar. Once the water is ready, add the salt and mix together, taste the water and make sure it is a little too salty. Then pour the brine mixture over the vegetables. Check on the vegetables daily and make sure they are submerged under water After 4-5 days, transfer all of the ingredients including the brine into a blender (you do not have to use all of the brine, depending on the thickness you are looking for). Then blend up the vegetables and brine until it is all well blended. If you want more depth to the flavor, add a splash of apple cider vinegar and/or a little bit of sweetener of choice. After blending the sauce, you can enjoy it right away or wait another 3-4 days to ferment and develop a more complex flavor. It is fine to leave it out at room temperature but once you like the taste you can transfer it to the fridge to slow the fermentation process.
Ingredients:
- 6-8 spicy peppers of choice (more depending on the size)
- 1 medium sized onion
- 6-7 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp salt (adjust so that the brine is very salty to taste)
- 1 1/2 c water
- Any other vegetables of choice, some good options are: cauliflower, carrots, turmeric root, ginger root, tomatoes
Add when blending:
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
- 1 tsp sweetener of choice (optional, I used panela)
~ Created by JoLyn
