Mala Sauce

Mala is a brothy, spicy sauce consisting of Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, oil, and a handful of various spices. In Chinese gastronomy, it is considered as one of the most popular sauces with many regional varieties. The sauce is so spicy that it is even implicated in its name, the term málà literally meaning numbing and spicy, caused by the Sichuan peppercorns.

Although the origins of the sauce are still unclear, the most popular theory suggests that it was invented in Sichuan in the 19th and 20th century, when it was full of pier workers who were regularly eating cheap foods such as beef stomach, kidney, and solidified blood.
The sharp flavors and layers of oil in mala helped to mask the bad scents. Today, mala is used in various stir-fries, stews, and hot pots.

Over the years, Mala sauce has been adapted into many versions and there is no one single recipe for mala. Traditionally, mala sauce was used in hot pot (mala tang.) However, the sauce can now be enjoyed with stir fry and wet noodles, barbequed meat and vegetable skewers, and various snacks such as popcorn and potato chips. Use Chef Hales house made Mala suace to create your next traditional meal.