Kwek kwek vinegar sauce

Ingredients

• 250 ml Filipino cane vinegar
• 120 ml water
• 1 piece fresh yellow onion
• 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 pieces fresh red chilies
• 1 tbsp granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper

Method

1. Peel the onion and cut it into very small, even dice: they should be fine enough to settle on the kwek kwek without dominating the bite, but substantial enough to crunch between the teeth.
2. Peel the garlic, remove the germ if it is green, then chop it very finely. Slice the chilies into thin rounds, keeping the seeds for heat faithful to the street sauce.
3. Pour the water into a small saucepan with the sugar and salt. Heat over low heat, stirring only until everything has dissolved: the liquid should become clear without coming to a vigorous boil.
4. Off the heat, add the cane vinegar. Stir and taste: the sauce should remain distinctly acidic, with a salty-sweet note in the background, never syrupy.
5. Add the onion, garlic, chilies, and pepper. Stir thoroughly so the aromatics are evenly distributed and the surface takes on a slight white-orange tint from the chili and onion.
6. Let rest at room temperature until the garlic perfumes the vinegar and the onion loses its raw harshness. The sauce is ready when it first smells of sharp vinegar, then fresh garlic and chili.
7. Serve in a small deep bowl, with a spoon or skewers for dipping. Stir before each serving, since the onion, garlic, and chili naturally settle at the bottom.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

29.7 kcal

Protein

0.32 g

Carbohydrate

4.2 g

Fat

0.04 g

Fibre

0.37 g

Calcium

7.88 mg

Iron

0.32 mg

Magnesium

9.59 mg