Chili sauce and paste

Chili sauce and chili paste are condiments prepared with chili peppers.

Chili sauce may be hot, sweet or a combination thereof, and may differ from hot sauce in that many sweet or mild varieties exist, which is typically lacking in hot sauces.[1][2] Several varieties of chili sauce include sugar in their preparation, such as the Thai sweet chili sauce and Filipino agre dulce, which adds sweetness to their flavor profile.[3][4][5] Sometimes, chili sauces are prepared with red tomato as primary ingredients. Many chili sauces may have a thicker texture and viscosity when compared to that of hot sauces.

Chili paste usually refers to a paste where the main ingredient is chili pepper. Some are used as a cooking ingredient, while others are used to season a dish after preparation. Some are fermented with beans, as in Chinese doubanjiang, and some are prepared with powdered fermented beans, as in Korean gochujang. There are different regional varieties of chili paste and also within the same cuisine.

Chili sauces and pastes can be used as dipping sauces, cooking glazes and marinades.[4][6] Many commercial varieties of mass-produced chili sauce and paste exist.