When it comes to condiments, few things can elevate a dish quite like sweet chili sauce. This versatile sauce, known for its perfect balance of sweetness and heat, can transform any meal into something extraordinary. While store-bought sweet chili sauces are convenient, they often contain preservatives and additives like modified food starch, acetic acid, various gums, and high fructose corn syrup. If you want a fresh and healthier alternative, making your own sweet chili sauce can be done in just 5 minutes! I
1. **Dipping Sauce**: Use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, chicken nuggets, or fried calamari. The sweet and spicy combination makes for a perfect pairing.
2. **Glaze for Grilling**: Brush it over meats like chicken, pork, or fish while grilling for an incredible flavor boost. It caramelizes beautifully and creates a mouth-watering glaze.
3. **Stir-Fry Sauce**: Incorporate it into your stir-fry for a sweet and tangy flavor. It pairs wonderfully with vegetables, tofu, or any protein of your choice.
4. **Salad Dressing**: Whisk it together with some oil and vinegar to create a quick and flavorful salad dressing. It adds an interesting twist to traditional greens.
5. **Marinade**: Marinate tofu, chicken, or shrimp in sweet chili sauce for at least an hour before cooking for enhanced flavor.
Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Rice wine Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 2 cloves Minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp Spy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Red chili flakes you can use anywhere from 1 tsp to 1 tbsp depending on the heat level you like
- 1 tbsp Non Gmo corn starch
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Add the vinegar, water, honey, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and red chili peppers to a medium pot. Heat to medium heat, stirring to dissolve honey.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring it to a low boil for two minutes.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together into a smooth slurry and add this to the sauce as well. While stirring frequently (to prevent the sauce from burning at the bottom), simmer the sauce for a further minute or until it reaches a desired thickness. Remember, the sauce thickens as it cools as well.
- Pour into glass jars with air-tight lids. Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge.