Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

Cayenne Vs. Chipotle: PepperScale Showdown

Cayenne pepper and chipotle powder are both common kitchen spices, working equally well for upping the spice level of food and for adding a touch of spicy color. Both come from chili peppers and are as easy to find as they are easy to use. …

Sriracha Bloody Mary

by Matt Bray

The rooster sauce brings it to brunch… Sriracha sauce and the classic Bloody Mary are a no-brainer pairing. Tomato-based Sriracha effortlessly melds into the overall garden-fresh flavor of this popular brunch cocktail. Plus, it brings s subtle garlic undertone to the mix as well. The …

What Is Nam Prik Pao?

by Matt Bray

No one ingredient is more crucial to the flavor of authentic Thai food than nam prik. The term nam prik refers to seasoning pastes used in Thai cooking. The name translates literally to chili water. There are many varieties of nam prik with nam prik …

Sambal Oelek Nutrition – How Healthy Is It?

by Matt Bray

Sambal oelek is a simple paste made from chili peppers. In comparison to other chil pepper preparations like sriracha, sambal oelek may offer more heat and a broader array of health benefits. Some of those health benefits come from the fact that it contains nutrients …

Paprika Nutrition: How Healthy Is It?

by Matt Bray

Paprika is a spice made from powdered red peppers and that is popular in Hungary and Spain. Paprika is a popular spice both for its brilliant color and for its variety of flavor profiles. Paprika can include sweet and mild varieties as well as spicy and …

Crushed Red Pepper Nutrition – How Healthy Is It?

by Matt Bray

Crushed red pepper (a.k.a. red pepper flakes) is the staple spice of the traditional pizza restaurant. When you eat in an old-fashioned pizzeria, you will usually find a shaker of red pepper flakes and another of parmesan cheese at your table. Southern Italians have used …

Which Countries Have The Spiciest Food?

by Matt Bray

Spicy food is popular all over the world. Almost every country with a well-developed food culture has at least one dish where the heat from chile peppers serves as one of the main components in the flavor profile. That said, some countries place more of …

Does Hoisin Sauce Go Bad?

by Matt Bray

If you like cooking Chinese food, you will need a few staple spices and condiments. Hoisin sauce is one of the essential ingredients. It is right up there with sesame oil in terms of how often you will be called on to use it when preparing Chinese dishes. Even with many ways to use it, you will probably not use a whole container at one time, which means that its shelf life comes into play. Does hoisin sauce go bad? Yes, but not if you use it quickly and/or store it correctly for extended shelf life.

Fresh And Fiery Mole Verde

by Matt Bray

A fresh take on mole…

When you think of mole, most think of the popular red mole sauce (mole poblano). Though mole verde (a.k.a. green mole sauce) is just as tasty, but in quite different ways. Think fresh, spicy, and slightly tart with mole verde instead of the earthy and slightly sweet taste of red mole sauce.

Tomatillo and serrano peppers provide the flavor pop here. No, this mole doesn’t use any of the holy trinity of dried chilies typical of red mole (ancho, guajillo, or pasilla) opting instead for the bright garden fresh bite of fresh serrano. This is a delicious sauce over pork dishes and enchiladas. It’s also quite good as a topper for fish tacos.

If you’re looking for an easy take on red mole, take a look at our recipe here. It’s easy to make with any well-stocked spice rack.

Spicy Thai Fried Rice

by Matt Bray

Eat as a side or a meal… This spicy Thai fried rice recipe is delicious as a side to most any Thai meal, but it’s hearty enough to eat as a meal in its own right. We use steak here, but you can sub in shrimp …