Review - ABC Sambal Extra Pedas Extra Hot Chili Sauce
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I reviewed Huy Fong Foods' Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce in July of this year, and discovered that I simply disagreed with the vast majority of the commentors and reviewers' assessment of the sauce. They loved it, and as hard as I tried, I didn't. It possessed a taste attribute I just could not put my finger on - was it ultra-strong, almost bitter-tasting garlic? Was it horseradish (which was not even on the ingredient list)? Whatever it was it bugged me, and the odd flavor stood out enough for me not to recommend the condiment.
Along comes ABC Sambal Extra Pedas Extra Hot Chili Sauce, a product of Indonesia, and is imported by the Fusion Gourmet, Inc of Gardenia, California. It kept the aforementioned annoying flavor to a minimum and is everything that Sriracha should be - a delicious, spicy, perky, garlicky, and balanced blend of chiles and sweetness that could easily find it's home on many white-bread American dinner tables. If you are looking for a sauce or an ingredient that defiantly stays away from mediocrity, Extra Pedas is your answer.
Ingredients:
Chili, sugar, water, salt, garlic, starch, vitamin C, acetic acid, sodium benzoate.
Aroma:
3.5 out of 5. Strong but not overly-pungent odor of chile peppers and garlic. A little sweet, too.
Appearance and Texture:
4 out of 5. This could be easily mistaken for tomato ketchup if this were a tad redder. Has a smooth, thick, pasty texture.
Taste Straight Up:
4 out of 5. Refreshingly bright and tasty. Bold partnering of peppers and garlic, and has a bit more sweetness that I found lacking in Sriracha. An all-around good condiment.
Taste on Food:
4 out if 5. Unlike Sriracha, it did not take me very long to find a good dish to partner with Extra Pedas. I started with the most basic of all Asian foods, some steamed white rice. Extra Pedas spruced it up quite nicely with a wonderful tang and spiciness. I think this would go well on grilled trout, salmon or shrimp. A couple of baked chicken quarters also might benefit from using Extra Pedas as an exotic glaze.
Heat:
2.5 out if 5. This has a good amount of heat, but I think a lot of the perceived hotness comes form the presence of garlic. Chileheads or fans of intensely spicy Asian (namely Thai and Indian) dishes would find this to be of medium heat level. There's a good chance mild food fans would consider this to be a little too spicy.
Label:
3 out if 5. It's very Westernized with a modern look. A graphic image of red chile peppers and garlic cloves sit on the bottom.
Overall:
This wouldn't be something I would eat everyday, but it's still a terrific sauce. An 11.5 oz bottle can be found online for around $4.00. Just Google it and find the best deal with shipping charges to your geographic area.
Related Articles:
Spicy Food Reviews - Hot Sauce Reviews, Hot Snacks, Hot Wings, Seasonings, BBQ Sauces, Condiments, and More
Comments
2009-08-19 11:46:58
2009-08-19 14:28:08
Seriously, I've probably read the same reports you have concerning benzoate salts and ascorbic acid mixing in diet sodas creating benzene (a carcinogen). While a threat in diet soft drinks may exist, the vast majority of them don't contain enough benzene to do any lasting harm. How much benzene Extra Pedas sauce contains, I have absolutely no idea, and I can't make any claim good or bad about this sauce in regards to this topic, but I wouldn't sweat being able to enjoy this sauce in moderation.
And remember that sodium benzoate is used as a preservative in a LOT of foods (including some hot sauces and BBQ sauces) and when you mix peppers (which are extremely high in vitamin C, or ascorbic acid) there's always that chance of benzene formation.
2009-08-19 19:24:34
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