Sweet Chili Sauce
Asian Condiments Sauces and Salsa
I think this one's familiar to you - it's a sauce you can also buy at supermarkets in the international products section. They're those bottles with contents that look like what's in my glass, and the label says "sweet chili sauce".
The Thai use it as a dip (for spring rolls, for example), as a marinade for chicken and seafood, as a base for salad dressings, or in saucy dishes. Americans adopted it, put it over mayonnaise, and poured it over breaded shrimp. And that's how one of the most popular appetizers was born: bang bang shrimp (cute name!). But we, next week, will prepare something healthier, still with shrimp and this sauce. Maybe even a Thai salad 😉
Ingredients
6-8 dried hot peppers (or 3 heaping teaspoons hot pepper paste)
2 garlic cloves (or 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic)
200ml water
50ml rice vinegar
70g sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 level tablespoon cornstarch
How to prepare sweet chili sauce
- If using dried hot peppers, remove the seeds (completely or partially, depending on how spicy you like to eat). Cover with hot water and let rehydrate for 15 minutes. Drain the water and then grind together with the garlic in a mortar with a pestle until everything becomes a paste.
* I cheated this time and used store-bought hot pepper paste and granulated garlic because I didn't have fresh at home; but either version is equally good - Put the water, vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the pepper and garlic paste and simmer over slightly higher heat for a few minutes (2-3).
- Add the cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons of cold water and cook until the sauce starts to thicken and becomes viscous (about 1 minute).
- Let it cool and then store in a bottle in the refrigerator.
Hot pepper paste
Sweet Chili Sauce
