Sambal versus Sriacha

I received a question a couple weeks back about the uses of Sambal versus Sriacha by a follower of the blog. As some of you know, my last week or two have been very busy. As such this is the first chance I have had to respond;

Sambal

Sambal originates in Indonesia but is also very popular in the region in countries including Malaysia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. It can be both a powder and a liquid variety. Most commonly Sambal is made from;

Habanero
Thai
Cayenne
Bird’s Eye Chili
Spanish Peppers

There are numerous variants of Sambal all of which have a unique flavour all their own.


Sriacha

Oh how I love the Sriacha. Originating in Thailand in the city of Si Racha it is most frequently made from chili peppers. Its flavour is a little more potent due to the way that it is made with salt, sugar, vinegar and garlic.

To be quite frank I use them interchangeably. And I think that most in Western Culture do. However, in Thailand Sriacha is predominantly used for seafood. I tend to use Sambal with Oysters whereas I use Sriacha when I am making a strifry.

I hope that this was helpful to you. Keep cooking.

Dream big and inspired.

SDM