Thai sweet chili sauce makes a superb condiment for many Thai dishes – excellent with chicken and fish as well as seafood. Also wonderful as a marinade for grilling or as a dip for finger foods. Try it with grilled fish, chicken or chicken wings, shrimp, spring rolls, fresh rolls, tofu etc…
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Yield: Makes ½ Cup of Sauce
Ingredients:
½ cup rice vinegar (or substitute white vinegar)
½ cup + 2 Tbsp. white sugar
¼ cup water
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. sherry (or cooking sherry)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ to 1 Tbsp. dried crushed chili (1 Tbsp. makes spicy-hot sauce)
1+½ Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 3–4 Tbsp. cool water
Preparation:
Place all ingredients – except the cornstarch-water mixture – in a sauce pan or pot. Bring to a rolling boil.
Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. (Note that the vinegar will be quite pungent as it burns off. Generally, I find rice vinegar less strong than regular white vinegar).
Reduce heat to low and add the cornstarch-water mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes).
Remove from heat and taste-test. You should taste “sweet” first, followed by sour, then spicy and salty notes. If the sauce isn’t sweet enough, add a little more sugar. If not spicy enough, add more chili.
Makes an excellent marinade for grilled chicken, fish, seafood or tofu.
Also serve as a condiment with chicken, fish, and seafood, or as a dip with finger foods such as chicken wings, shrimp, or spring rolls.
ENJOY!