Sweet Chili Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 pieces fresh mild to medium-hot red chilies
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 180 g white granulated sugar
• 120 ml clear rice vinegar
• 90 ml water
• 30 ml Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 2 tsp tapioca or cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water for mixing the starch

Method

1. Rinse the chilies, remove only the stems, then split them open. For a mild sauce, remove some of the seeds and white membranes; for a livelier sauce, keep more. Roughly chop the chilies with the garlic until fine but still slightly grainy, not perfectly smooth.
2. Put the sugar, rice vinegar, water, fish sauce, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring gently, until the sugar has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear and glossy.
3. Add the chili and garlic mixture. Bring to a steady simmer, then lower the heat slightly. The surface should show small continuous bubbles, without large, violent boils. Cook until the garlic loses its raw smell, the chilies soften, and the syrup begins to coat the spoon.
4. In a small bowl, mix the starch with the cold water until perfectly smooth and lump-free. Stir the sauce in the saucepan, then pour in the mixture in a thin stream, stirring constantly.
5. Continue cooking over low heat until the sauce is translucent, glossy, and lightly spoon-coating. It should run slowly off the spoon and leave a short trace on the sides of the saucepan while remaining fluid when hot.
6. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. The sauce thickens as it cools: it should finish glossy, suspend the chili and garlic pieces, and coat without setting.
7. Pour into a clean jar. Let cool completely before closing. Serve at room temperature or chilled with fried bites, grilled chicken, rolls, fritters, or crisp vegetables.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

203.1 kcal

Protein

1.15 g

Carbohydrate

47.99 g

Fat

0.04 g

Fibre

0.35 g

Calcium

2.67 mg

Iron

0.1 mg

Magnesium

2.34 mg