Sriracha

Remove the stems from the chilis but leave the seeds — they carry heat and pectin that thickens the final sauce. Combine chilis, garlic, sugar, and salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse until you have a coarse, textured mash — think chunky salsa consistency, not a smooth puree. The mash should be bright red-orange and smell intensely of raw chili and sharp garlic. Transfer to a clean glass jar, leaving 3cm of headspace for fermentation gases.

Cover the jar loosely with cheesecloth secured with a rubber band — this allows fermentation gases to escape while keeping contaminants out. Store at room temperature (18–24°C) for 3–7 days. Stir the mash once per day with a clean spoon. After 24 hours, you should see small bubbles forming throughout the mash. By day 3, the mash will smell noticeably more complex — less raw, more savory, with an acidic tang. The color deepens from bright red to a darker, more saturated crimson.

Transfer the fermented mash and vinegar to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a steady simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently. The mash will thicken and darken slightly as it cooks. The vinegar both preserves the sauce and brightens the acidic note that fermentation softened. Do not over-reduce — you want a pourable hot sauce, not a paste.

Allow the cooked sauce to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend on high for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing firmly with a spoon to extract every drop of sauce. Discard the dry solids (mostly seeds and skin). The strained sauce will be glossy, smooth, and deeply red. Bottle in sterilized squeeze bottles or glass jars. Refrigerate — it will keep for 6 months.