Seasoned with fresh garlic this fermented hot sauce is rich with flavor, bright and fiery. Use a variety of ripe, hot peppers for the best flavor. Red jalapeños, cherry bomb peppers, Scotch bonnets, and aji amarillo chilis all work well, especially when mixed together.
Remove the tops from the peppers, and split them in half lengthwise. Pack a quart-sized mason jar tightly with the peppers, leaving about 1-inch headspace. Drop in the cloves of garlic.
Whisk the salt into the warm water until it dissolves. Pour the brine over the chiles and garlic.
Place a weight over the chiles and garlic so they remain submerged beneath the brine. Seal the jar tightly with an airlocked lid, and allow the chiles to ferment at room temperature away from direct sunlight for 2 to 3 weeks, or until they smell and taste pleasantly sour.
Strain the brine and reserve it. Transfer the chiles to a high-speed blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved brine to the blender, and process until smooth. For a thin sauce, strain through a fine mesh sieve. For a thick sauce, simply spoon the purée into jars, thinning with additional brine as necessary.
Use right away or store in the refrigerator up to 1 year.