Vinegar-Chili Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 120 g yellow Chinese fermented soybean paste
• 70 g granulated brown sugar
• 45 ml Chinese rice vinegar
• 35 ml light soy sauce
• 55 ml water
• 15 ml toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 piece fresh red chili
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Method

1. Prepare the aromatics: peel the garlic, remove the chili stem, then chop everything very finely until you have an almost moist paste. The finer the chop, the smoother and more homogeneous the sauce will be.
2. Whisk the cornstarch with a small portion of the cold water in a bowl until no lumps remain. The mixture should be fluid and milky.
3. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the fermented soybean paste, brown sugar, light soy sauce, Chinese rice vinegar, the remaining water, garlic, chili, and five-spice powder. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and the sauce becomes glossy.
4. Let simmer gently, without a strong boil, for about 5 minutes. The surface should tremble, form small slow bubbles, and release the aroma of cooked garlic, fermented soy, and warm spices.
5. Add the cornstarch mixture in a thin stream while whisking. Continue cooking over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce clearly coats the spoon and leaves a clean line when you run a finger across its back.
6. Stir in the toasted sesame oil off the heat. Mix until the sauce is smooth, glossy, and red-brown, with a thick but still supple texture.
7. Taste and adjust only if necessary: a splash of vinegar if the sauce seems too heavy, a pinch of sugar if it seems too aggressive, or a few drops of hot water if it becomes too compact.
8. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve if you want a very smooth texture, pressing firmly on the aromatics. For a more rustic version, leave it as it is.
9. Transfer to a clean jar. Let cool slightly before serving as a dip, or cool completely to use as a glaze. It thickens and becomes glossier as it rests.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

165.3 kcal

Protein

4.66 g

Carbohydrate

24.39 g

Fat

5.68 g

Fibre

1.71 g

Calcium

17.61 mg

Iron

0.53 mg

Magnesium

11.66 mg