LIKE the powerpuff girls, we all need some sugar, spice and everything nice. It is not enough that we savour life per se — we need to have a life that’s balanced enough to allow us to live the very life that we have always wanted. Not to mention, be the extra version of ourselves.
For culinarians, spices play a big role in creating a palatable masterpiece. Spices also enhance the natural flavours of ingredients thus providing another level of sarap. And for us Filipinos, spices are but staples that should never be forgotten.
With the BYOC — Bring Your Own Condiment — craze happening all over, it’s no wonder that a plethora of spiced condiments are making their rounds on our social media feeds. One of them is WAKABA Spicy and Savory Sauce — subtle yet explosive chili sauce that will make you love rice even more.
Enough on its own, Wakaba is even better when mixed with any of our daily ulam or snack faves. Try with hot off the grill fish or meat — the addition of Wakaba adds depth to the already savoury dish. Adventurous? Create a simple oil-based pasta with garlic, chili flakes, Wakaba chili sauce and butter and olive oil. The combination is so enticing, you’d be needing some melba toasts on the side to wipe your plate clean.
Of how it came to be, Andrew Fel Rene A. Dedal was inspired by the story of David Tran, the man who introduced Sriracha in United States through his brand Huy Fong Foods. He is the perfect example of someone who “started from scratch”. Imagine somebody who just started out selling his hot sauce in his neighborhood and now owns a factory that makes millions of bottles of hot sauce everyday to shipped all over the world. Now, that’s really inspiring.
To date, they have sold a good number of Wakaba bottles to patrons who have nothing but good reviews for their product. Focused on a goal, they aim to establish Wakaba as a staple hot sauce in the whole country. “We want it to become what Sriracha is in the United States or what Sambal is in Thailand and Indonesia. There are a lot of fun stuff to do in order for us to reach that. But we are actually determined to try”, said Dedal.
And yes, the orders are always on the roll.
Wakaba Spicy and Savory Sauce is available online. Orders may be placed through Facebook.
TRC Speaks: I love the spicy feel of dishes on my palate. The aroma alone is enough to get me prepping for a mapapasabak session with the rice. The best thing? You can adjust the chili level on your dishes. Could be added as an ingredient for a simple sardines recipe or as a condiment when having any fried or grill dish. Just do not forget the water or milk on the side…ice cream will also do wonders. Cheers!
