Make your own sriracha sauce

Sriracha has become quite the tickle in certain postcodes across Ireland. It’s the cheapest legal high on the market right now, second to icy morning swims and slo-mos of Robbie Henshaw.

A spicy fermented chilli sauce, sriracha ramps up sufficient voltage in my bloodstream to power a rural village. My heart feels like a propeller taking flight through my chest.

Here’s the science. A devious compound found inside the chilli stimulates a cavalry of feel-good endorphins, like a jamboree through the veins.

These clever compounds belong to the capsaicin family, also thought to be responsible for some impressive Mr Miyagi-like moves against inflammation in the body. Headache or hangover, anyone?

Then there’s the delicious sting you get from a chilli, suspiciously like smoking a cigarette the wrong way around. That explosive heat ironically carries pain-relief properties (the chilli, not the cigarette) while simultaneously igniting your toes and your tonsils. Watt’s not to love?! (Boom-boom!).

You’ll even find over-thecounter capsaicin cream for sprains and strains. Fun, eh?

Traditional sriracha is carefully cooked, strained and lacto-fermented, but I can’t be bothered with so many steps for a simple high. Instead, I make this copycat version with disproportionate amounts of giddiness and urgency. The trick is to freeze fresh sriracha in a small ice-cube tray as soon as it’s made. Now you’ll have it on tap whenever you fancy spicing up your life.