Ingredients:

  • 0.5 cup (115g) mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp (5ml) pickled jalapeño liquid
  • 2 tbsp (3g) fresh cilantro, finely minced
  • 0.5 tsp (1.1g) smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp (1.5g) garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp (1.3g) ground cumin
  • 0.25 tsp (0.5g) cayenne pepper
  • 0.125 tsp (0.7g) kosher salt

Instructions:

  1. Start by combining the 0.5 cup of mayonnaise and 0.5 cup of sour cream in your bowl. Use your whisk to blend them until no streaks remain. Note: Starting with room temperature dairy makes the emulsion smoother, but cold is fine if you're in a rush.
  2. Slowly whisk in the 2 tbsp of lime juice and the 1 tsp of jalapeño liquid. You will notice the sauce thin out slightly at first, then stabilize. Keep whisking until the mixture looks glossy and uniform.
  3. Add the 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp cumin, and 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper. Finish with the 0.125 tsp of kosher salt and the 2 tbsp of minced cilantro.
  4. Once everything is incorporated, let the sauce sit for at least 10 minutes. This allows the dried spices to hydrate. You’ll see the color deepen from a pale white to a beautiful, soft orange pink as the smoked paprika blooms.