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    Home » Recipes » Dips and Sauces

    Mala Hot Sauce

    July 18, 2022 · Published: November 13, 2017 By: Asian Caucasian Leave a Comment

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    A large spoon filled with Mala hot sauce on top of a round blue plate

    Cheers to Tiffany, our guest food blogger with Choo Choo Ca-Chew! Tiffany is sharing her family recipe for a spicy Sichuan sauce, Mala Hot Sauce, that is versatile with so many Asian dishes. You're going to love this sauce, and it keeps for months!

    A large spoon filled with Mala hot sauce on top of a round blue plate.

    Tiffany's blog post from Choo Choo Ca-Chew:

    This recipe was passed down by my grandpa and probably from his grandpa. Grandpa was born in the Sichuan province, China and moved to Taiwan in 1950 when the air force of R.O.C. retreated from China.

    This is a staple hot sauce in Sichuan and at home. “Mala” is actually two words in Chinese: 麻辣 (ma2 la4) 麻Ma2 is a tingly feeling like your foot just went numb and someone is poking it. 辣La4 is spicy.

    Three small blue bowls filled with Szechuan peppercorns on top of a wooden board with a mortar bowl in the background.

    That explained this sauce a lot! It is quite different from most hot sauces you find in the supermarkets. This sauce gives a tingly feeling in your mouth due to the Szechuan peppercorns and is super easy to make.

    Szechuan peppercorns iare a bit harder to get, you might need to look for an Asian store or a serious spice shop (or Amazon). I bought mine at Market Spice in Pike’s Place, Seattle. It was a bit pricey but I cannot argue with the quality! It was some of the best Szechuan pepper I’ve ever purchased (the only other one that could compare were the ones I bought in Sichuan).

    Several glass mason jars filled with various spices on top of a black marble surface.

    Szechuan peppercorns, crushed red pepper flakes, and toasted sesame seeds are the three main ingredients in this aromatic, spicy Mala Hot Sauce.

    Grind the spices in a spice grinder, food processor, or mortar and pestle and store in tightly sealed glass jars.

    A large spoon filled with Mala hot sauce on top of a round blue plate.

    This sauce can also be a base for various dishes originated in Szechuan or just to spice up your food. You can easily adjust the heat level with the chili you use.

    You can store the Mala Hot Sauce in a jar in your pantry for up to three months.

    Print
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    A large spoon filled with Mala hot sauce on top of a round blue plate

    Mala Hot Sauce

    Print Recipe
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    This amazing Mala Hot Sauce is versatile with so many Asian dishes. You're going to love this sauce, and it keeps for months!

    • Total Time: 10 mins
    • Yield: 1 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • ½ cup crushed red pepper flakes
    • ¼ cup Szechuan peppercorns
    • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
    • Pinch of salt
    • ½ cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)

    Instructions

    1. In a spice grinder, small food processor, or mortar and pestle, grind together the red pepper flakes and Szechuan peppercorns until powdery. Sift out the shells from the peppercorns and discard.
    2. Place the ground spices into a sealable jar and add in the toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of salt.
    3. Heat the olive oil in a small pan until oil starts to ripple. Pour the oil into the jar with the spices and stir well.
    4. This spice can be used right away or stored in your pantry for up to 3 months.

    Notes

    This recipe comes from Tiffany at Cho0 Choo Ca-Chew.

    • Author: Choo Choo Ca-Chew
    • Prep Time: 5 mins
    • Cook Time: 5 mins
    • Category: Sauce
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: Chinese

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 152
    • Sugar: 0.6 g
    • Sodium: 38.7 mg
    • Fat: 15.6 g
    • Carbohydrates: 5.5 g
    • Protein: 1.2 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: Dipping Sauce, Asian Sauce

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @AsianCaucasianBlog on Instagram and hashtag  #AsianCaucasianEats

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    Hi, I'm Lesli! Welcome to Asian Caucasian, a healthy-ish food blog born out of a passion for home-cooked, Asian-inspired cuisine. I always cook with market-fresh ingredients and prepare simplistic, healthy Asian recipes so you can throw away those take-out menus! Come share my culinary love of beautiful Asian-fusion food, and get cooking in the kitchen! READ MORE!

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