Bored of Tabasco? 5 Asian-influenced chilli sauces to try, from Fly By Jing to Poon’s London

Ta ta, Tabasco! So long, sriracha! Today, more titillating chilli sauces are trending thanks to their umami flavour and irresistible combinations of sweet, spicy and savoury.

For many years, the international commercial hot sauce market was dominated by American brands such as Tabasco and Frank’s, known for their tangy mix of peppers and vinegar. The rise in interest in Asian food and chefs such as David Chang of Momofuku in the US has since brought more of the region’s flavours into the spotlight.

“It’s a combination of factors – a market that is growing exponentially, a broadening palate for heat and an increased understanding of Chinese food around the world. Sriracha paved the way for a different type of hot sauce that is less vinegar and more about textures and umami flavours,” says Tim Sedo, co-founder of Fiyah! Heat Store, an e-commerce site that specialises in hot sauces.

Best thing about these new sauces is that there are no limits on what you can pair them with (apparently vanilla ice cream and crispy chilli oil is life changing).

“I’d say these types of hot sauces are where craft beer was 10 years ago and the market is ready to boom,” adds Sedo. “The crispy chilli oils are the most popular variety right now but I think sambals [Southeast Asian sauces] are next.”

5 hot sauce brands to try

1. Empress Hot Sauce

Launched in 2020, Empress is the brainchild of Jane Chen and Alex Denner. Following a move from New York to Taipei, the duo were inspired to create a range of flavour-packed sauces that showcased Taiwan’s agriculture. The vinegar-based sauces run the spectrum from mildly spicy – the Pineapple Miso highlights the country’s Golden Diamond pineapples – to the fiery ghost pepper Maqaw, infused with Taiwan’s indigenous maqaw berries and grapefruit to add a citrus twist.

2. Flagrant Sauce

3. Fly by Jing

Fly By Jing founder Jing Gao knows her chilli. Born in Chengdu, Sichuan, she founded Baoism, an award-winning modern-Chinese fast-casual restaurant before launching her line of MSG- and additive-free pantry staples known for their bold authentic flavours. Favourites include the Sweet & Spicy Zhong sauce, inspired by aromatic fuzhi soy sauce, and the bestselling Sichuan Chili Crisp. The latter is so popular that Gao launched a cookbook that offers 85 recipes showcasing this cult favourite.

4. Poon’s London

Originally a restaurant located in the West End, Poon’s London was the go-to spot for Chinese food in the bustling city. Amy Poon, daughter of chef and founder Bill Poon, decided to carry on the family tradition by launching a signature sauce range. Following recipes handed down the generations, highlights include the Chilli Vinegar Dressing, which is ideal for wontons, and the Extraordinary Chilli Oil, an aromatic oil infused with dried chillies and salted black beans.

5. A Spark of Madness

Hong Kong resident Simran Savlani is not a trained chef, but her love for all things culinary inspired her to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and work on several food projects in India. It wasn’t until the lockdown that she decided to launch Spark of Madness, a cookbook, with range of hot sauces to go along with it. The three sauces pay homage to Hong Kong and include Crispy Chili Oil, featuring seven different spices, five types of chillies and three varieties of crunch textures; and the Crack Sauce, inspired by dan dan mian flavours including peanut, chilli oil and sesame.