Latest news with #Sriracha
Hindustan Times
04-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: K-drama on our plate
It was Viraj Bahl who put it best: The two big rages in India right now, he told me, are wellness and chilli. Chilli crisp is a pantry staple in Korea. (ADOBE STOCK) {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} I am sure Viraj is right about wellness, though I don't know much about the subject. But he is certainly bang on when it comes to the chilli craze. And he has put his money where his mouth is. Veeba, the condiment company he founded, has invested heavily in a new range of hot sauces and they are flying off the shelves. {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} It's a trend that has spread. Maggi, a well-respected brand with no distinctive record of risky innovation in India, is also launching new products, most of which seem to include the word 'spicy' in the name: Spicy Garlic Noodles and Spicy Pepper Noodles are just two examples. Viraj, who also runs a noodle brand, says that the formula for success in today's market is to make it spicy. 'India has fallen in love with chilli all over again,' he explains. 'There is a new generation that just wants spice and chilli.' {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} Gochujang is used in many Korean dishes, but less so for Korean food in India. (ADOBE STOCK) {{^usCountry}} The trend is not restricted to India. In the UK, some supermarkets report that sales of hot sauces are up by 20%. At the Tesco chain, Sriracha is selling so well that sales are up by 65% over last year. Ocado, the online UK retailer, says that sales of chilli sauces have increased by 10% and searches for Korean hot sauce are up by an astonishing 850%. The US is experiencing a similar boom with new hotter sauces being launched each year. {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} The trend is not restricted to India. In the UK, some supermarkets report that sales of hot sauces are up by 20%. At the Tesco chain, Sriracha is selling so well that sales are up by 65% over last year. Ocado, the online UK retailer, says that sales of chilli sauces have increased by 10% and searches for Korean hot sauce are up by an astonishing 850%. The US is experiencing a similar boom with new hotter sauces being launched each year. {{/usCountry}} Read More {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} You can tell when a market is red hot (in this case, literally) when celebrities want a piece of the action. Ed Sheeran had the UK press excited when he launched his Tingly Ted's hot sauce in 2023, and now the trend has reached such a level that even Brooklyn Beckham has launched his own sauce. Oprah Winfrey has a sauce that combines spiciness with synthetic truffle flavour, a combination that sounds so disgusting that you can see why Kim Kardashian has invested in the product. The vintage rocker Alice Cooper has a whole range of hot sauces named after his greatest hits, though it is not clear whether these sauces are best enjoyed when you are biting the head off a live chicken as Cooper was once rumoured to have done onstage during a concert. (He now denies the story.) {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} Because of K-pop and K-dramas, dishes such as tteokbokki have became all the rage. (ADOBE STOCK) While the global boom has many different origins Viraj is clear where the current Indian craze for spice has come from. 'It's because of the younger generation's fascination with Korea,' he says. 'Because of K-Pop, K-Drama and the rest, young people love anything that tastes like Korean food. And that means lots of spice. That's how this boom took off.' {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} He has a point. McDonald's India has introduced a range of Make It Korean burgers and products with a Korean Spice Mix that you can add to all products. (I have no idea what they would make of the Korean McSpicy Paneer Burger in Seoul, though.) Burger King has its Korean Spicy Fest featuring Korean burgers, and Domino's has a new Cheese Burst range featuring Korean flavours. I would call it a Korean food boom, except that despite the names, none of the flavours is particularly Korean. Hardly anyone uses Korean chillis or gochugaru, the distinctive Korean chilli powder, or gochujang, the fermented red chilli paste that is characteristic of many Korean dishes. This is Korean food for people who have never eaten Korean food but have seen it on TV or the internet, and are in love with the idea of Korean food rather than the cuisine itself. For Indian food companies, that translates as adding lots more mirchi, and it doesn't matter if you use our local chillis for the tang. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} Corn Yuzu Hot Sauce is made with roasted corn and yuzu. (ADOBE STOCK) We have been here before. This is exactly how the Sichuan boom took off 40 years ago. Indians never really took to Mala, the mix of Sichuan pepper and chilli that epitomises Sichuan flavours, or even to Sichuan pepper itself, because it puckered the mouth and made it tingle. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} Even so, we created a make-believe Sichuan flavour of our own with chilli and masala, and it has become a staple of Indian-Chinese restaurants and kiosks. Viraj's Veeba makes Sichuan sauces and stir-fry seasonings, which sell well. But my own sense is that younger consumers see them as flavours that belong to their parents' generation and have no particular affection for so called Sichuan. The truth is that in today's world, flavour trends move swiftly. Take the example of Huy Fong's Sriracha, the American take on the Thai sauce, which became a global rage over a decade ago. It was hailed as the beginning of a new era of hot sauces that would transform the American palate. It is still around and still sells very well, but it has lost its trendy cachet and is now routinely described as being very mild compared to today's hot sauces. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} Brands such as Maggi have launched new products with the word 'spicy' in the name. (ADOBE STOCK) Sriracha damaged the market for Tabasco (a far superior sauce with a great heritage ) that had to survive by launching product variants and even making its own Sriracha. (The name is generic; it's not a brand, so anyone can make Sriracha.) And something similar is now happening to Sriracha itself as newer sauces take over. At the top end of the market, there are excellent small-production sauces that put the industrial hot sauces to shame. The one I use at home is the Corn Yuzu Hot Sauce, a blend of habanero chillis with roasted corn and yuzu, made by Noma Projects (available on the net) that demonstrates how good a hot sauce can be if you put care and precision into its making. Even in India there are small production condiments that are outstanding. Varun Tuli of Yum Yum Cha makes an excellent chilli crisp and I have written before about the Pickle Shickle brand whose chilli products have been a staple of my kitchen for three years now. But regardless of which hot sauce you use, the chilli trend is here to stay. And ironically enough the impetus to add more chilli and call everything 'spicy' comes not from our own gastronomic heritage as the home of spice but from Korean popular culture. From HT Brunch, July 05, 2025 Follow us on SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Newsweek
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Introduces 'Spicy Foster Kitten' to Her Cat, Can't Cope With Reaction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A heartwarming video showing the healing powers of a loving cat recently went viral on Instagram, and users cannot cope with the emotional footage. The clip shared on Wednesday under the username @soccercatmom, shows a gray cat named Poppy making her owner's new foster kitten feel at home on their very first encounter, showing the scared youngster that love can be healing. "It was finally time to introduce our very hissy and spicy foster kitten to Poppy … I already knew Poppy has magical powers, but I was not expecting this," the poster writes in the clip. "Sriracha's first meeting with Poppy was more than I could have ever dreamed of. Hearing her first purrs was a truly magical experience," she says in the caption. The poster, Ashley Saldana, told Newsweek that Poppy is one of her three cats, which she rescued back in December as a kitten, and the young animal has quickly become a social-media star because of her sweet, nurturing behavior. A screenshot of the viral clip shows the poster taking her "spicy" foster kitten to her "magical" cat for cuddles. A screenshot of the viral clip shows the poster taking her "spicy" foster kitten to her "magical" cat for cuddles. @soccercatmom "I foster kittens and a couple weeks ago we got in 3 very scared and VERY hissy kittens. They were very skittish and didn't trust anyone. After a week or so of trying to earn their trust, I decided it was time for Poppy," Saldana said. "Poppy has a truly magical way with kittens; especially sick and/or scared/mean ones. She is able to immediately calm and transform them … which is what you see here with our normally hissy foster kitten Sriracha." If you don't have a Poppy at home, there are still ways you can handle a "spicy" kitten. Firth Veterinary Hospital says that offering lots of toys; taking time to play with them; providing mental stimulation; and giving them the right training are all great ways to get your feisty kitty to behave. The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 10 million views and more than 1.2 million likes on the platform. One user, Marinaacastellanii, commented: "Poppy was like 'oh you don't have a mama, sweetie? all right I'll be your mama." Kershawkwilts wrote: "Poppy is such a special kitty. Hugs and lots of mama licks are just what feisty and furious baby needs!" Sangsusan said: "Omg [oh my God] … Poppy did not disappoint with her special powers." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I tried UK's wackiest ice cream flavours from pickled onion to Bisto – the crazy £4.50 winner surprised me
How does Sriracha ice cream sound? I SCREAM! I tried UK's wackiest ice cream flavours from pickled onion to Bisto – the crazy £4.50 winner surprised me WHATEVER will Mr Whippy say? To compete, he may need to stick more than a 99 Flake in his cone. An ice-cream parlour in posh Knightsbridge, Central London has come up with some very crazy flavours, ranging from, er, Twiglets, to Bisto and Irn-Bru. 11 Alexander McLeod has tested some of the craziest ice cream flavours Credit: Ian Whittaker Summer pop-up The Ice Cream Project is the idea of eccentric fashion designer Anya Hindmarch, as Waitrose recently revealed Gen Z enjoy a twist of baked beans, soya sauce or cheese in their tubs. She bills her ices, at £4.50 a scoop, as 'a celebration of Britain's kitchen cupboard culture'. But do we likey-lick? Alexander McLeod, right, tries Anya's ice creams and gives his verdicts and marks out of ten . . . read more on TASTE TESTS CRUSH IT I tested budget slushie makers vs £350 Ninja – and a £10 dupe works just as well Jacob's Twiglets 11 The Jacob's Twiglets ice cream has a Marmite tang Credit: Peter Jordan MALTY, yeasty and spiked with a Marmite tang. It's also smooth, which feels strange given how much your brain expects crunch. Oddly, I quite liked it. Rating: 7/10 Punters divided over Scots takeaways loaded ice cream fries Quaker Oats 11 The Quaker Oats offering tasted bland Credit: Peter Jordan SWEET, toasted oat flavour was bland and packed all the joy of a cold bowl of porridge. This ice cream has a velvety vanilla base but is a little coarse. Rating: 5/10 Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil 11 The extra virgin olive oil version was Alexander's favourite Credit: Peter Jordan CREAMY base has fruity richness of quality olive oil. Gentle peppery taste lingers to keep you interested. Smooth and balanced. Rating: 8/10 Bisto Gravy 11 The Bisto ice cream nearly works as a treat Credit: Peter Jordan SUBTLE gravy flavour brings roast-dinner warmth but frozen into a silky, scoopable form that nearly works. Shows even Bisto can be made posh. Rating: 6/10 Romney's Kendal Mint Cake 11 The Romney's Kendal Mint Cake version captures its mint sweetness Credit: Peter Jordan AS snow-white as the original slab, this captures that sharp mint sweetness. Refreshing palate- cleanser. Rating: 7/10 Flying Goose Sriracha 11 The Sriracha flavour is bold and strange but not entirely unlikeable Credit: Peter Jordan IT'S Sriracha from the first icy hit – tangy, garlicky, with a slow-building heat that creeps up on you. Bold and strange but not entirely unlikeable. Rating: 6/10 Garner's Pickled Onion 11 The Garner's Pickled Onion flavour tastes more like a dare than dessert Credit: Peter Jordan NORMALLY, when you smell a dish from across the room, it's a good sign. Not here. Vinegary, briny punch feels more like a dare than dessert. Rating: 2/10 Ovaltine 11 The Ovaltine ice cream is really quite nice Credit: Peter Jordan MALTED warmth comforts like a favourite jumper. Balances the sweetness and slight earthiness well, and is really quite nice. Rating: 7/10 Irn-Bru 11 The Irn-Bru flavour looks and tastes just like the drink Credit: Peter Jordan BRIGHT orange and proudly so, this sorbet looks and tastes just like the drink. Fizzy on the tongue, and very sweet. Perfect for a hot summer day. Rating: 6/10 McVitie Club Orange 11 The Club Orange version includes crushed-biscuit pieces for a nice crunch Credit: Peter Jordan NOSTALGIC mix of milk chocolate and zesty orange. The crushed-biscuit pieces provide enjoyable texture and crunch. Rating: 8/10 Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Business Insider
03-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
I tried chicken tender meals from McDonald's and Chick-fil-A. One chain served up juicier tenders.
McDonald's recently launched chicken strips as part of its McCrispy line of products, which also includes the chain's chicken sandwich. In a comparison of Chick-fil-A and McDonald's chicken sandwiches, I ranked the McDonald's version higher than Chick-fil-A, so I was eager to see if the burger chain's chicken strips could also beat out the legacy chicken chain. I ordered a four-piece chicken strip meal, which came with a medium order of fries, a medium drink, and two sauces. I chose the chain's creamy chili sauce, which was launched alongside the chicken strips for pairing. For my drink, I ordered a Diet Coke from both chains. The cost of my meal at McDonald's came to $16.59, excluding tax and fees. The chicken strips came in a cardboard carton. The chicken strips were large and evenly coated in crispy breading. Unlike other chains' chicken tenders, these ones wouldn't exactly be described as flaky. They're more similar to a very long chicken nugget. The chicken strips differ slightly from the chain's buttermilk crispy tenders, which were discontinued in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Until now, chicken tenders have failed to return to menus, despite fans' pleas to bring them back. Each bite was evenly coated in well-seasoned, peppery breading. The strips paired excellently with the creamy chili dipping sauce. The chain's new creamy chili sauce was created to go with the new chicken strips, and they paired well. The sauce tasted similar to a Sriracha aioli and added just the right amount of spice without being too overwhelming. The creamy dipping sauce clung to every crevice of the chicken strip, ensuring maximum flavor. The meat inside the tender was a little lacking, however. In a master ranking of 11 fast-food chicken tenders, I ranked McDonald's chicken tenders higher than Chick-fil-A's. However, upon a second try, I wasn't so sure. The chicken tenders were slightly thinner and had less shreddable chicken than I remembered from my first taste test, suggesting the quality could be subject to change based on the batch you get. However, I still really enjoyed them. The meal also came with fries and a drink. Though some might argue that all Diet Cokes taste the same, I disagree. I'm a huge fan of McDonald's Diet Coke, which comes with just the right amount of ice and is always perfectly refreshing. The fries also impressed me — they were salty and crispy, and also paired well with the creamy chili dipping sauce. I also ordered a four-piece chicken tender meal from Chick-fil-A. Chick-fil-A has been selling its beloved chicken tenders since 1989, though it didn't launch the chain's signature sauce until the early 2000s. The meal cost $19.89, excluding tax and fees. It came with a medium drink, a medium order of waffle fries, and three sauces. The chicken tenders were evenly fried, but coated with loose, flaky pieces of breading. At first glance, these tenders were noticeably thicker than the McDonald's chicken strips. They also had a lighter, more golden color to them rather than the almost-brown color of the fried chicken strips from McDonald's. The chicken strips paired well with the chain's signature sauce. The chicken tenders really impressed me. They were crunchy yet filled with thick, juicy shreds of chicken meat. I was surprised to find I actually preferred the chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A over the ones from McDonald's. The seasoning was peppery, like the breading on the McDonald's strips, but it had a slightly briny flavor, adding even more flavor. The chicken tenders were also much thicker, making the meal slightly more filling. The meal came with crispy waffle fries. The waffle fries were crispy yet pillowy — the potato inside seemed fluffier than the potato in McDonald's fries, which were more heavily fried. They were also an ideal vehicle for the Chick-fil-A sauce — I was able to practically scoop it up with the fries, which was mouthwatering. I had to give the win to Chick-fil-A, though I still thought McDonald's offered excellent value. I preferred Chick-fil-A's thick and juicy chicken tenders to McDonald's's more heavily fried, crispy tenders. I also liked the fluffy waffle fries in the Chick-fil-A meal more than the crunchy fries from McDonald's. They were a better vehicle for the chain's signature sauce. However — shocking, I know — I actually preferred the creamy chili sauce from McDonald's. It packed more flavor than the Chick-fil-A sauce, thanks to the slight kick from the chili peppers, but it was still creamy enough to evenly coat the chicken strips. When it came down to value, I thought McDonald's won. The Chick-fil-A meal was over $3 more expensive than the McDonald's meal. In terms of value, it had the chicken chain beat.
Business Insider
21-05-2025
- General
- Business Insider
I made Gordon Ramsay's 'perfect' 10-minute burger, and it tasted restaurant-worthy
I made Gordon Ramsay's easy recipe for the perfect 10-minute burger. Ramsay's burger includes bacon, cheddar cheese, Sriracha mayonnaise, and brioche buns. I loved Ramsay's burger, which was super juicy and tasted like it came from a top restaurant. Gordon Ramsay has a recipe for the perfect burger that only takes 10 minutes to make. I discovered Ramsay's bacon cheeseburger recipe while exploring his cookbook " Ramsay in 10," which includes 100 recipes inspired by his YouTube series of the same name. "From raw ingredients to an incredible juicy burger in just 10 minutes… this is my quickest burger ever!" he writes in the description. Ramsay's 15-minute pasta is one of my all-time favorite recipes, and I loved his recent tips for making the best plate of eggs. So, with the holiday weekend coming up, I decided it was the perfect time to give his burger a try. Ramsay's recipe puts a fun twist on traditional burger ingredients. To whip up four of Ramsay's perfect cheeseburgers, you'll need: 16 ounces of ground beef 4 brioche buns 4-8 slices of bacon 4 slices of cheddar cheese 2 egg yolks 1 frozen red chile 1 tomato, sliced 1 onion, sliced Little Gem lettuce Ramsay's recipe recommends adding two slices of bacon to each burger. Since the hickory-smoked bacon I had in the fridge was already quite thick, I decided to use only one slice per burger instead — but feel free to add as much bacon as you wish! His sauce also mixes things up from the usual ketchup. First, I prepped my chile pepper. Ramsay recommends always keeping a handful of chiles in the freezer for burgers, curries, and sauces. "Freezing the chile makes it really easy to grate with minimum fuss," he writes in his cookbook. I took Ramsay's advice and threw my chile in the freezer the night before I made these burgers. I also followed his tip to deseed the chile before grating it for a milder heat. Then, I began making the patties. First, I cracked my egg yolks into the bowl with my ground beef. Then, I added my seasonings, sprinkling salt and freshly ground black pepper on top. After throwing in my grated chile, I mixed everything together with clean hands. I divided the beef and formed four patties, each around 1 inch thick. "Remember that the thicker you make the patties, the longer they will take to cook," Ramsay writes in his cookbook. "So if you want these on the table in under 10, press your burgers until they are a little thinner for a quicker cooking time." I drizzled some vegetable oil on my griddle over medium-high heat. Ramsay recommends using either a griddle or a frying pan for this recipe. Since I was making four burgers, I opted for the griddle so I could cook everything together. Then, I threw my burgers on, seasoning them with some more salt and pepper. I allowed my patties to cook for about four minutes. While my patties were cooking, I quickly whipped up the sauce. I added my mayonnaise and Sriracha into a small bowl, threw in some salt and pepper, and mixed everything together — so easy. After four minutes, I added my bacon and onion slices to the pan. Once the bacon and onion slices were on the griddle, I increased the heat to high. As everything cooked together, I prepped the veggies for my burgers. Then, I flipped the burgers, bacon, and onions. Per Ramsay's recipe, I allowed them to cook for another five minutes. While my burgers were still on the griddle, I got the brioche buns ready. My bacon and onion slices were ready before my patties, so I took them off the griddle first. I placed them on a plate covered with a paper towel, per Ramsay's instructions. It was time to turn my burgers into cheeseburgers! Then, I tried Ramsay's special trick to melt the cheese. Ramsay recommends covering the patties with a lid or upturned saucepan to help the cheese melt — a similar method to the one I tried while making Guy Fieri's perfect burger. The cheese came out beautiful. It was almost time to eat, but first, I needed to build my burgers. After spreading the sauce, I threw on my veggies. I added my cheeseburger, bacon, and onions. I drizzled some extra sauce on my top buns and was done. Barely 10 minutes had gone by, and my burgers were ready to go. The cheeseburgers looked absolutely glorious. From the plump patty with oozing cheese to the crispy bacon right on top, this towering burger looked seriously impressive. It made for a great Instagram picture, but would Ramsay's burger taste as good as it looked? Oh yeah. Ramsay's 10-minute burgers were perfectly cooked. The patty was beautifully juicy, and the Sriracha mayonnaise and grated chile added just the right amount of heat. The bacon and onions also gave each bite some nice crunch, while the fresh tomato and lettuce cut through the heavy ingredients. I'll definitely be making Ramsay's perfect cheeseburger again. I've tasted some of the best restaurant burgers in the game, from the iconic cheeseburger at Peter Luger to Obama's favorite burger at Upland in Manhattan. And honestly, Ramsay's homemade burger recipe is right there with them. Plus, it's so easy and cheap to make at home. With summer on the horizon, barbecue season is here. And I can guarantee Ramsay's burger will impress at your coming Memorial Day and Fourth of July parties.
