If you are like this writer who believes that the dish is tastier if it's spicier, then this list is for you. We're going beyond the Tabascos of the world here in this list. All these hot sauces have been tested by some of the hotheads at LBB, so rest assured when we say it's a hot sauce, it's a hot sauce. It's not for the faint-hearted and the ones with a sweet tooth. Without further ado, here's our round-up of the best hot sauces in India you can buy online. Oh, and if you spot one too many hot sauces with Bhut Jolokia, it's because this writer absolutely loves them!
8 Best Homegrown Hot Sauces That Can Spice Up Any Meal
Bhut Jolokia Extra Hot Chilli Sauce From Sprig
This writer's personal favourite hot sauce, Sprig's Bhut Jolokia sauce is as hot as advertised. It's made with one of the hottest chillis in the world, the bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, and you need a few drops to instantly turn any dish into a fireball. We have used this sauce in almost everything — sunny sides, marinades for meat, sandwiches, ramen broths, mayo, and salsa. In terms of flavour profile, apart from the intense heat, you get a nice kick that doesn't overpower the rest of the flavour — unless, of course, you pour in the whole bottle.
Price: INR 349
Best Paired With: Soups, Ramen, Sandwiches, Dips, Marinades
Extra Hot Chilli Sauce From ENE
East By North East (ENE) has several variants of hot sauces but our favourites are the Hot Chilli and Extra Hot Chilli Sauces. The main ingredient, which you should have already guessed by the brand's name, is bhut jolokia. If we were to compare it to Sprig's Bhut Jolokia, this one packs a punch that's just a notch lower. A few drops of this is enough to make unsuspecting people weep while those who love the heat will relish every drop of it. The best thing about the sauce is that it's made with bhut jolokia puree, not powder.
Price: INR 200
Best Paired With: Dips, Sandwich Spreads, Noodles
Classic Hot Sauce From Ghost & Co.
We absolutely love this hot sauce because the bhut jolokias are lacto-fermented to give that nice, bright tang. The spice is tame but still there and mixed with house-brewed pineapple vinegar, giving the sauce a funky flavour. We always have a bottle of this in our pantry. The Classic variant is our favourite but give the Smoked variant a try too. It features smoked bhut jolokias.
Price: INR 190
Best Paired With: Noodles, Dim sums, Fried Food, and Dips
Kerala Hot Sauce From Ishka Farms
For this writer, kanthari molagu or bird's eye chilli is something that he holds dear. Having grown up eating them, it's home. Ishka Farms white kanthari hot sauce is home too. What's interesting about this hot sauce is that it's perked up with green peppercorns, and salt capers, making this hot sauce, not just a dipping sauce but also an excellent marinade. Overall, the hot sauce packs enough heat without numbing your palate — you can get that salty umami from the capers along with the burst of heat from the peppercorn and that sharp spicy kick from the chillis.
Price: INR 295
Best Paired With: Marinades, Sandwiches, Fried Food, Dips
Kantha Bomb From Naagin
We've been fans of Naagin for a while and have tried all their hot sans the newly launched The 65 (must make a note to buy it soon). We were quite surprised as to how we liked Naagin's Kantha Bomb more than the Smoky Bhoot. Mind you, the Smoky Bhoot packs a good punch — it does have bhut jolokia. But we love that grounded, fresh flavour in Kantha Bomb. Plus, a green hot sauce that's so much better than your off-the-rack green chilli hot sauce. We also like The Original that's made from Sankeshwari chilli — ideal for aspiring hot sauce heads.
Price: INR 250
Best Paired With: Sandwich Spreads, Fried Food, Dips, Cooking Sauce
Cherry Pepper Sauce From Peero
We honestly love the fact that they don't add sugar. And we also love the fact that they use Dalle chillis. It's got a sharper flavour of the chillis but nothing overpowering. We spike our sandwiches, dips, and mayo with this! The 60 ml bottles gets over quite quickly, so we recommend buying a few extra bottles whenever you are ordering.
Price: INR 199
Best Paired With: Soups, Noodles, Rice Bowls, Eggs, Sandwiches, Dips
Red Hot Sauce From Indian Sauce Company
₹498
This one from the Indian Sauce Company comes with a solid 7/10 spice level which is pretty decent for folks who are not hot heads like us. It has a bold flavour that is made out of real farm grown garlic and chillies. Additionally it has zero artificial colours which means it is minus any nasties too. A lot tends to go a long way, and can be matched with pretty much everything.
Price: INR 498 (for two bottles)
Best Paired With: Chow, fried rice
Hot Sauce No. 9 From Kaatil
₹275
Made of Bhoot Jolokia, the hottest chilli from North-East India— the no.9 from Kaatil is a hot sauce to be reckoned with. It is a burst of flavour that packs a punch with its heat. Goes with pretty much everything, including khichdi! It's tangy, zesty, and creeps up on you in the best way possible. They also do an amazing chilli oil and chilli ketchups too which are just as lovely and affordable too.
Price: INR 275
Best Paired With: Desi food, Pan-Asian
