Bring on The Heat This Summer with These Spicy Flavour Bombs!
Summer is finally here and it’s hot one -not that we’re complaining! We know and love Spain and Portugal for their year-round warmth, especially in summer, but this year there seems to be a little extra fiery kick to the temperatures around here, don’t you think? All the better, if you ask us! A perfect excuse to get into the kitchen (or better still, in front of the barbecue!) and bring the summertime heat to our taste buds too! At Leo Foods international supermarket in Marbella, Spain, and online shop, we’ve got all kinds of tasty foods from around the world and (maybe even better?) all the little spicy extras to take them to the next level of fiery flavour too.
Love heat as much as we do? You’ll want to put some of these on your shopping list:
- Tabasco Sauce: Did you know that Tabasco Sauce is not made in the same-named region in Mexico? It’s actually made in the United States and may be one of the only American pepper sauces that has really made a name for itself, although it’s easy to see why! It’s pure in spicy pepper flavour (the sauce is made only from tabasco peppers and vinegar) and has a generous but not overwhelming level of heat, averaging around 3,500 SHUs (Scoville Heat Units) so it’s a great go-to way to warm up just about all your favourite dishes this summer. Try a splash (or two!) in your chilli con carne, avocado hummus, on top of devilled eggs, or in your next Marie Rose sauce, bloody mary, or fresh seafood ceviche for a nice heat that blends well with a whole range of other flavours. Get your bottle from the Leo Foods online shop here!
- Sriracha Sauce: The Asian-style spicy sauce that’s known the world over! Like Tabasco Sauce, Sriracha is made from an aged hot pepper paste mixed with vinegar, but Sriracha takes it further by adding garlic and sugar so it’s got a spicy, sweet, sour, salty, savoury combination that’s to die for! It’s made from a special blend of red jalapeño peppers which generally have a more mild heat than tabasco peppers, thus only giving it a 2,200 or so SHU score, that makes it ideal for blending into other sauces to make something distinctly delicious (although we love adding a drizzle on top of the finished product, too, for a little extra pizazz!). Love Sriracha? Then you’ll love this tasty collection of Sriracha recipes we found and don’t forget to pick yours up from the Leo Foods international supermarket next time you’re in Marbella or purchase Eagle Sriracha hot chili sauce on our e-shop.
- Hot Fajita Seasoning: If spicy Mexican food is your thing, you can’t go wrong by picking up some Rita’s Rubs hot fajita seasoning from Leo Foods. Shake a little of the pre-mixed spice pack on some strips of char-grilled bell pepper, onion, and steak, chicken, tempeh, or extra firm tofu, throw it all in a warm corn or flour tortilla wrap, and you’ve got a simple, yet oh-so delicious meal that will sizzle your taste buds And all those char-grilled ingredients that give fajitas the best flavour are perfect for the barbecue, so we can’t think of a better summer meal, can you?
- Bandari Chili Pickles: Made with eggplant, cucumber, carrot, cauliflower, green pepper, chili, and mint in a vinegar-tomato base, this tangy, spicy, slightly chunky sauce/paste is a staple ingredient in Persian cuisine for a reason: deliciousness! Use it as a marinade base for whatever meat you’re cooking this summer and you won’t be disappointed, or add it straight on top of grilled meats or fish for a punch of flavour like no other! Pro tip: it’s also an amazing accompaniment to your cheeseboards if you’ll be doing some entertaining this summer! Find it at Leo Foods or in our online shop
- Korean Red Chili Paste: If you know Korean food, you’ll know this chili paste as gochujang. And if you don’t know Korean food, now’s the time to discover it with this staple red chili paste, available at Leo Foods! It’s made from glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, barley malt, and -of course, chili powder with a surprisingly complex flavour with depth, thanks to the ageing/fermentation process. It’s a thick, concentrated paste so a little goes a long way, and the level of spice isn’t always the most consistent between brands, so when cooking with Korean red chili paste, it’s best to taste as you go (one of the perks of cooking with it, if you ask us!). Use it as base for meat marinades, stir a bit into a dipping sauce for your bibimbap or bulgogi, use it as a base for stews or stirfrys, or even make a tasty glaze for meat, fish, or vegetables! The possibilities are endless!
- Heera Kashmiri Chili Powder: Because it’s more mild than traditional chilli powder (around 1,500 SHU), Kashmiri chilli powder, made (unsurprisingly), from Kashmiri chillies, is an ideal way to fine-tune the heat level of your favourite dishes until you get the exact spice intensity you like, traditionally Indian food recipes, but also incredible in any of your favourite foods that welcome a little extra spice in the cooking process (think: Mexican food, Chinese food, Korean food, or Thai food). Leo Foods also carries whole, dried Kashmiri peppers if you prefer to cook with them or, if you’re all about the spice, you could go for Heera Cayenne powder that packs a whopping 40,000 SHU average and will bring the fire to your plate!
- Peri Peri Sauce: Spicy peri peri peppers with an intense heat similar level to that of cayenne peppers are combined with citrus, onion, paprika, and other spices like basil, oregano, bay leaves, and tarragon to make a range of sauces with different spice levels. Try Nando’s Garlic Peri Peri sauce for a delicious flavour with mild spice, or kick it up a notch with Nando’s Medium or even Hot Peri Peri Sauces, all available in-store or online from Leo Foods.
And if chilli isn’t your thing but you still love a flavourful spice blend to your Asian food, British food, Indian food, Latin American food, Mediterranean food, or Middle Eastern food recipes, you’ll do well to check out Leo Foods’ cash and carry warehouse in Marbella or online on our e-catalogue or online shop! We are proud of our status as a leading spice supplier, spice retailer, and spice wholesaler across Spain and Portugal alongside other authentic, delicious, international frozen, chilled, and ambient foods from trusted brands around the world that let you create the tastiest, spiciest, most flavourful dishes possible!
