Chili condiments encompass a variety of spicy accompaniments that add depth and heat to dishes. From chili oils and pastes to chili sauces and sambals, these condiments come in diverse forms and heat levels, catering to different palates and culinary preferences. They are used globally to enhance stir-fries, marinades, dips, and soups, offering a fiery kick and robust flavor. Chili condiments are also integral to fusion cuisines, where they lend a bold and complex dimension to dishes that crave intensity.

This sauce is hot and sweet, making it a very versatile dipping sauce. You can serve it with finger foods or douse your crispy noodles in it. While it’s mainly used as a dipping sauce, I also use it in stir-fries to add that perfect sweet, salty, spicy flavour.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is a sweet, spicy accompaniment to Asian finger food and a riot in the mouth. This post is packed with tips and tricks to help you make this dipping sauce easily at home.

Paprika is often used for seasoning meat and is a common ingredient in rubs, marinades, sauces and stews. So make sure you have some nearby the next time you fire up the barbeque. In the US, you’ll see paprika sprinkled over deviled eggs, eggs benedict and french fries to give a spicy kick, and it’s often scattered on top of creamy soups to add both colour and sweetness. It’s also sprinkled on top of hummus and used as a substitute to flour for thickening sauces. Add paprika in pasta sauce, or any tomato-based dish to add a burst of flavour and gorgeous colour. The next time you cook mac and cheese – try adding smoked paprika – it takes it to a whole different level.

Paprika is made from bell or chili peppers that have been finely ground two or more times without the veins and seeds, according to Katherine K. Schlosser, author of The Herb Society of America's Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs. Because of that, you can swap sweet paprika for another pepper-based spice, such as cayenne or chili powder. Like using other types of paprika, these spices will lend your recipe a different flavor than you would get from the sweet paprika.

In addition to being better for the environment, natural paprika is also rich in nutrients and antioxidants. The peppers used to make natural paprika contain high levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, and capsaicin, which have been linked to various health benefits. These nutrients are preserved in the drying and grinding process, making natural paprika a healthy and flavorful addition to any dish.

These little seeds come in all sorts of colorful boxes, from the sweet bell pepper to the mighty hot Carolina Reaper. Many capsicums contain capsaicin, which is the substance responsible for the kick spicy food enthusiasts love and crave.

Sweet paprika measures 500 to 1,500 Scoville heat units, making it a very mild pepper indeed. Hotter varieties of paprika can approach 30,000 to 50,000 heat units, which is basically equivalent to pure cayenne pepper. So if your recipe explicitly calls for hot paprika, you could substitute cayenne pepper.