Kiwis are some of the most fun and lively tasting fruits we know. Their bright, tropical flavor and acidity make them the perfect addition to a batch of fermented hot sauce. Coupled with jalapeños, cilantro and scallions, kiwis produces a homemade fermented hot sauce whose color is a brilliant green with a vivid flavor to match.

And since the main spicy element of this hot sauce recipe is jalapeño (which has a relatively mild heat), this is a hot sauce you can douse liberally over anything in need of a light, tropical heat. It’s one of our go-to fish taco hot sauces. It also adds a fun, delicate heat to pad thai and other noodle dishes.

Lacto-fermentation adds deep complexity to hot sauces. All the ingredients in this recipe are all specifically chosen to work together in preserving their lush tropically bright flavors. To ensure a hot sauce has a fully rounded out flavor and isn’t just a one-note spicy sauce, we often add something from the onion family to a recipe. The onion used here is scallions. Scallions are brighter in flavor than a typical yellow onion. Herb also do a ton to lift the flavor and aroma of a hot sauce. The additional of a whole lot of cilantro adds a clean freshness to the recipe that helps it shine—even after a few weeks of fermentation.

So if you’re looking for a bright, tropical, fruit-forward recipe for your next batch of homemade hot sauce, look no further.

Ingredients

• 15-20 Jalapeño peppers, sliced with stems removed
• 4 scallions, sliced with roots removed
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 quart water
• 1-2 cups white vinegar, reserved

Directions: 

1. Pack Jalapeños, cilantro, scallions, and kiwi into fermentation jar in alternating layers, ending with a layer of Jalapeños or kiwi on top to keep the green onions and cilantro under the brine.
2. Combine salt and water, stir until salt is fully dissolved to make the brine. 
3. Add fermentation weight and pour in brine to cover. All solid ingredients should be fully submerged.
4. Top with lid and airlock.
5. Let ferment for 2-3 weeks at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
6. Add Jalapeños, cilantro, scallions, and kiwi to blender with 1 cup of the fermentation liquid. Blend until smooth and then add white vinegar to taste. 
7. Funnel into hot sauce bottles or lidded jars of your choice.
8. Hot sauce will keep refrigerated for at least 2 months.