Sriracha Sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare the chilies
   Wearing gloves, cut the stems off the chili peppers and roughly chop them. For a milder sauce, remove seeds from half the peppers. Be careful not to touch your face or eyes during this process.
2. Blend the ingredients
   In a food processor or blender, combine the chopped peppers, garlic cloves, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, fish sauce (if using), and water. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add more water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
3. Cook the sauce
   Transfer the blended mixture to a medium saucepan. Add the tomato paste if using. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will deepen in color and flavors will meld together.
4. Strain the sauce
   Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids or save for another use.
5. Finish and adjust
   Return the strained sauce to the pan over low heat. If using xanthan gum, sprinkle it in while whisking continuously to prevent clumping. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, sugar, or vinegar if needed.
6. Cool and bottle
   Allow the sauce to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer to sterilized glass bottles or jars with tight-fitting lids. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.