If you’re looking for a hot sauce that delivers both a bold fruity sweetness and a fiery kick, this Mango Habanero Hot Sauce is just the ticket. The ripe mango brings a mellow tropical sweetness while the habanero chili peppers send in the heat — together they form a vibrant, bold condiment perfect for drizzling over grilled meats, tacos, roasted vegetables or just keeping on hand to spice up everyday meals. The balance of sweet and hot gives you a sauce that’s more than just heat: it has character and depth.
Ingredients
- Habanero chilli peppers (the original recipe uses fresh habaneros)
- Ripe mango pulp or well-peeled and chopped mango
- Onion (chopped)
- Garlic (cloves)
- Vinegar (to bring acidity and preserve the brightness)
- Lime juice (or fresh lime)
- Salt
- Sugar (to balance the heat)
- Optional extra water (or extra vinegar) to adjust consistency
Note: The exact quantities aren’t fully available in the source I could access, but you’ll adapt by taste and consistency.
Step-by-Step Method
- Prepare the ingredients. Wash and trim the habanero peppers (remove stems, optionally remove seeds for less heat). Peel and chop the mango. Chop the onion and garlic. Squeeze fresh lime juice.
- Blend. Place the mango, habaneros, onion, garlic, vinegar and lime juice into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
- Simmer. Transfer the blended mixture to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. This step helps develop the flavours and mellow the raw edge.
- Adjust consistency and seasoning. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of water or extra vinegar until you reach your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or heat (add more habanero if you want hotter, or more mango/sugar if you want it milder).
- Cool and store. Allow the sauce to cool, then transfer into clean bottles or jars. Store in the refrigerator and use within a few weeks for best flavour.
Additional Notes & Serving Suggestions
- Heat level: Habaneros are significantly hot. If you’re less comfortable with intense heat, remove the seeds and membranes, or reduce the number of peppers. The mango and sugar help tame the heat, but expect a noticeable kick.
- Flavour balance: The interplay of sweet (mango + sugar), tangy (vinegar + lime), and hot (habanero) is key. If one element is dominating, adjust the others: more sugar/mango for more sweetness, more vinegar for tang, fewer peppers for milder heat.
- Serving ideas: This sauce works beautifully on grilled chicken or pork, fish tacos, roasted vegetables, as a glaze, or even as a dipping sauce for fries or nuggets. Try mixing a spoonful into mayonnaise or yoghurt for a spicy-sweet dip.
- Storage: Because this is a fruit-based hot sauce (not fermented), it’s best kept refrigerated and consumed in a few weeks. If you wish to preserve it longer, make sure the acidity (pH) is low enough, and use sterilised bottles.
- Customisation: You can tailor this sauce: e.g., use different peppers for milder or stronger heat, add other flavourings (ginger, allspice, cumin) for a more complex profile, or increase mango for extra sweetness and texture.
Conclusion
This Mango Habanero Hot Sauce is a vibrant, flavour-packed addition to your condiment repertoire. It’s simple to make, and the results are far more interesting than your average store-bought hot sauce. With the right balance of mango sweetness, acidic brightness and habanero heat, it gives your dishes a tropical-fiery edge that delights the palate. Whether you’re drizzling it on grilled meats, fish tacos or roasted veggies, you’ll find yourself reaching for it again and again.