I have not been fortunate enough to visit India, so my idea of Indian cuisine has always been the type you find at the takeaway. That is until I visited Vermilion and I was blown away by the unique flavours of modern Indian cooking. So when Pico Sauces asked if I fancied some of their range, I was really excited to see what they were like.
Pico Sauces was born when its co-founders realised that there were just 3 types of ketchup widely available in India. They also wanted to share modern Indian flavours with the world and show that Indian food is not just about the generic curries you can find at your local takeaway. They’re not traditional, but they do share the up and coming food culture that is currently spreading in India’s big cities and the flavours are really unique. Also, how cute are the illustrations on the bottles?
The Naga Ghost Pepper Sauce is seriously HOT! Did you know that the chilli is so spicy that farmers hang them on their fences to ward off herds of elephants? They also grow deep in the North East area of India which is incredibly politically volatile and managed by the military. The sauce, when used sparingly adds that searing heat to a dish, almost a dry heat if that makes sense.
The Punjabi Ketchup tastes just like butter chicken gravy, in other words it is delicious. I used it on simple grilled chicken, but also as a dressing in a green salad. It pimps up whatever you want to use it on and it is just lovely.
The Konkan Mango Chilli Sauce was not at all what I was expecting. I expected the thick, gelatinous dip style sauce you get at the takeaway, but the Pico version is a lot thinner in consistency. It is spicier with less sweetness, making it also perfect as a salad dressing but also as a dip for crisps. The mangos grow along the Konkan Coast in India, hence the name.
My favourite of the Pico Sauces is the Varanashi Tamarind Chutney. Varanashi is the spiritual capital of India and they have perfected the ultimate dipping sauce to enjoy with traditional chaat. It has a little heat, despite the ‘no chilli’ rating but the slightly sour and sweet flavour make it perfect as a dip but also on chips or drizzled on a bacon butty. Trust me, don’t knock it until you have tried it.
I love how versatile the range is and that they can be used on your every day food, or included in the ultimate modern Indian feast. I’d highly recommend giving them a go.
You can grab yours on the Pico Sauces website at £2.50 per bottle.
Contains PR Samples
No Comments