Hawthorn chili sauce products

After a period of research and testing, Thuan Chau Green Agriculture Cooperative, Nam Tien village, Bon Phang commune, Thuan Chau district, has successfully produced a hawthorn chili sauce product with a unique flavor, initially favored by customers.

Apple chili sauce product of Thuan Chau Green Agriculture Cooperative.

Ms. Giang Thi Thu Tham, Director of the Cooperative, shared: Thuan Chau has a large area and output of hawthorn; the local chili material from households in Co Ma, Long He, and E Tong communes is a fresh red chili, small, thin flesh, strong spicy taste, with a different flavor compared to chili from other places. From that reality, my members and I came up with the idea of making chili sauce products processed from hawthorn using traditional manual methods.

With technical advice and support from the Center for Promoting Start-ups, Business Startups and Attracting Investment in Ethnic Minority Regions (Tay Bac University) and the Center for Supporting Start-ups and Technology Transfer in the Retail Industry ( Hanoi ), Ms. Tham and the members of the Cooperative have experimented with making chili sauce, adjusting the taste accordingly. The product is thick, delicious, does not use tomatoes for coloring, does not use preservatives, flavor enhancers, and is used as a dipping sauce, marinade for grilled dishes, braised dishes or mixed with hot pot broth very conveniently.

Sharing about the process of making apple chili sauce, Ms. Tham said: To make delicious chili sauce, first choose ripe red chili. Fresh chili after harvesting is de-stemmed, washed, drained, mixed with garlic, spices, and mac khen until the mixture is even. The chili mixture after being ground is fermented with apple vinegar produced by the cooperative. Apple vinegar has a much more delicious taste than regular white vinegar or rice vinegar. The finished vinegar has an eye-catching golden color, a mild sour taste, not harsh, and a characteristic aroma. Then, it is fermented for about three consecutive months in a ceramic jar and covered tightly with a thin cloth to allow ventilation, ensuring food hygiene and safety. During the incubation period of the chili sauce, it is necessary to stir continuously to achieve the right consistency, avoiding the chili sauce from fermenting. At the end of the incubation period, the chili sauce is poured into small bottles for convenient use.

In 2023, the cooperative produced nearly 1,000 bottles of hawthorn chili sauce, priced at VND70,000/350 gram bottle. The product was sold at several stores in Thuan Chau district, the city, and on social networks.

Ms. Pham Thi Det, Group 3, Quyet Thang Ward, City, said: My family often uses chili sauce in daily meals. Knowing about the apple chili sauce product through social networks, my family tried it and found it delicious, the chili sauce is not too spicy, suitable for the taste of family members.

Currently, Thuan Chau Green Agriculture Cooperative is preparing a dossier to recognize the apple chili sauce product as a district-level OCOP product. In the coming time, the Cooperative will expand its production scale, invest in more machinery and equipment to continue improving the productivity and quality of products for consumers.

Article and photos: Lo Thai

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