Frequently Asked Questions

Himalayan Heat is the first hot sauce finished with grass-fed ghee instead of vegetable oil. We use Akabare peppers (Dalle Khursani) from Nepal's Ilam district — one of the world's most prized chilis, almost unknown outside South Asia. The ghee gives a silky, clean heat with no seed-oil aftertaste. Short ingredient lists, no preservatives, and a genuine origin story set us apart from every other bottle on the shelf.

The Akabare (also called Dalle Khursani) is a small, round, intensely hot chili native to Nepal's eastern hill districts — particularly the Ilam region. At 100,000–350,000 Scoville Heat Units, it rivals the habanero, but its flavor is distinctly fruity, floral, and citrus-bright rather than merely hot. It's a cultural staple in Nepali cooking, yet virtually unknown in North America — which is exactly why we built a brand around it.

Vegetable and seed oils are the default in hot sauce because they're cheap. We chose grass-fed ghee (pure clarified butter, no milk solids) because it adds a rich mouthfeel and a clean, nutty finish that you simply can't get from canola or sunflower oil. Ghee is also a centuries-old cooking fat in Nepal and South Asia — using it isn't a marketing gimmick, it's authentic to the cuisine we draw from. The result is a sauce that finishes smooth, not harsh.

We rate heat on a 1–5 scale.

Himalayan OG — Extra Hot (5/5): Akabare fire amplified by Timur berry's numbing citrus buzz.
Spicy Kathmandu — Hot (4/5): Deep, aromatic heat with roasted garlic and ginger.
Golden Hills — Medium-Hot (3/5): Earthy, rounded Akabare warmth balanced by turmeric and cumin.
Everest Honey — Medium (2.5/5): Sweet Himalayan cliff honey that tames the heat into a slow creep.

There's a bottle for every threshold.

Himalayan OG — Our flagship. Floral Akabare heat with the electric Timur berry numbing finish.

Spicy Kathmandu — Channels Nepal's street food culture: slow-roasted garlic, fresh ginger, deep umami depth.

Golden Hills — Earthy and golden. Himalayan turmeric and toasted cumin make it the most versatile bottle for everyday cooking.

Everest Honey — Our hot honey. Raw Himalayan cliff honey harvested by traditional Gurung honey hunters, paired with Akabare's volcanic heat for a sweet-then-fire finish.

Yes. All four Himalayan Heat sauces are gluten-free. Our ingredient lists contain no wheat, barley, rye, or gluten-containing additives. We use Himalayan pink salt, apple cider vinegar, grass-fed ghee, Akabare peppers, and SKU-specific natural ingredients — all naturally free of gluten.

No. All four sauces contain grass-fed ghee, which is clarified butter — a dairy derivative. Ghee is central to our flavor profile and brand identity, so there is no vegan version at this time. Every label carries a “Contains: Milk” allergen declaration.

Yes — with one note. Himalayan OG, Spicy Kathmandu, and Golden Hills contain no added sugar and are fully keto-compatible. Everest Honey contains raw Himalayan cliff honey, which adds natural sugars, so it's not strict keto. All four sauces are low-carb relative to most condiments.

All four sauces share a common base: Akabare pepper (Ilam, Nepal), grass-fed ghee, apple cider vinegar, Himalayan pink salt.

SKU-specific additions:
Himalayan OG — Timur berry (Himalayan Sichuan pepper)
Spicy Kathmandu — slow-roasted garlic and fresh ginger
Golden Hills — Himalayan turmeric and toasted cumin
Everest Honey — raw Himalayan cliff honey

Allergens: Contains Milk (from ghee). No tree nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat, eggs, fish, or shellfish.

We are in pre-launch. Join our interest list at himalayanheat.us and you'll be first to know when we go live. Interest list members get early access before public launch. We're also running a giveaway — enter for a chance to win the full Discovery Set before it hits shelves.

Himalayan OG, Spicy Kathmandu, and Golden Hills are priced at $15.99 per bottle. Everest Honey, which uses raw Himalayan cliff honey, is $16.99.

We'll also offer a Duo Pack (any 2 bottles) for $29.99 and a Discovery Set (all 4 SKUs) for $54.99 — a 14% saving over singles. Pricing locks in at launch.

We are launching with US domestic shipping only. International shipping — particularly to Canada, UK, and the EU — is on our roadmap. Sign up for the interest list and select your location so we can prioritize based on demand.

We're working toward free shipping on orders above a bundle threshold. Exact rates will be published at launch. Bundles like the Discovery Set or Duo Pack are the best way to maximize value per order.

Himalayan Heat is a US-based company. Our Akabare peppers are sourced directly from the Ilam district of eastern Nepal, where they grow at altitude in mineral-rich volcanic soil — the same terroir that gives them their distinctive fruity heat. We co-manufacture in the US from imported ingredients.

Yes. We import dried Akabare peppers (Dalle Khursani) directly from the Ilam region of eastern Nepal — the heart of Akabare cultivation. We work with exporters in Nepal's prime growing regions, and all shipments carry a phytosanitary certificate from Nepal's Plant Quarantine Office. Direct sourcing lets us control quality and maintain the authentic ingredient story that defines the brand.

Fair compensation for our Nepali supply chain partners is a core commitment, not an afterthought. We are building direct relationships with exporters in the Ilam and Dhankuta regions specifically to pay above market rates and establish long-term supply agreements that benefit growers. As we scale, we intend to formalize and publish our sourcing standards.

Himalayan Heat was born from a single question: why does the world know about Sichuan pepper but not Timur berry? Why does everyone use Frank's Red Hot but nobody outside Nepal knows Akabare?

We set out to change that — to introduce the heat, the flavor, and the culture of the Himalayas to North American kitchens. Every bottle is our answer to that question.