Sriracha (ศรีราชา) – Fermented Chili Sauce

Sriracha is named after the town of Si Racha on the Thai east coast. The sauce is made from red chilies, garlic, sugar, salt and vinegar. For the homemade version, you blend chilies and garlic with salt and sugar and let the paste ferment in a jar for a few days. Lactic acid bacteria make it tangy and rounder in flavor.

By Laura Chen· November 4, 2026

30 Mintotal

25servings

15kcal

ThaiCuisine ›

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Use medium-hot red chilies, for example red jalapeños or long red chilies from the Asian grocery store. With Thai chilies the sauce turns very hot. Weigh the ingredients and stick to the amount of salt. The salt holds back mold and lets the desired bacteria work. Wear gloves when cutting. After 5 to 7 days the paste smells tangy and throws small bubbles. Then you boil it briefly with vinegar and blend it finely.

Sriracha belongs on the table with pho xao and in the mayonnaise for bánh mì. You make crispy chili oil for noodles with the recipe for chili crisp.

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Sriracha (ศรีราชา) – Fermented Chili Sauce

Name: Sriracha (ศรีราชา) – Fermented Chili Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 25
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 500 g red chilies, medium-hot (e.g. red jalapeños); 30 g garlic (6 to 8 cloves); 25 g brown sugar; 12 g salt (non-iodized); 80 ml rice vinegar; 50 ml water

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

20 minutes

Cook time

10 minutes

Calories

Cuisine

Thai

Ingredients

For the chili paste:

500 g red chilies, medium-hot (e.g. red jalapeños)
30 g garlic (6 to 8 cloves)
25 g brown sugar
12 g salt (non-iodized)

To finish:

80 ml rice vinegar
50 ml water

Instructions

Boil a 750 ml screw-top jar and its lid in water for 5 minutes and let both drain.
Put on gloves. Remove the chili stems and chop the chilies coarsely. For a milder sauce, scrape out the seeds of half of them.
Blend the chilies, garlic, sugar and salt in a blender into a coarse paste. Fill it into the jar and press it smooth with a spoon. Leave at least 3 cm free at the top.
Set the lid on loosely and put the jar at 18 to 24 °C out of direct sun. Stir the paste once a day with a clean spoon.
After 5 to 7 days the paste smells tangy and shows small bubbles. Put it in a pot with the vinegar and water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Blend everything as finely as possible. For a smooth consistency, press the sauce through a fine sieve.
If the sauce is too thick, stir in water by the spoonful. Fill it hot into clean bottles or jars and put it in the fridge after cooling.

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Sriracha (ศรีราชา) – Fermented Chili Sauce

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