Description
This Best Sweet Chili Sauce recipe is a perfectly balanced, sweet and spicy condiment that you can easily make at home in just 10 minutes. Made with rice vinegar, cane sugar, garlic, ginger, and sambal oelek, this versatile sauce is great for dipping, drizzling, or marinating. It uses a simple stovetop method to achieve a smooth, glossy consistency with a delightful kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Chili Sauce Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons cane sugar (or granular sweetener like erythritol for sugar-free alternative)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (or substitute with dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (adjust to taste) OR 1-2 teaspoons dried red chili flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce (use tamari for gluten free)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
- 1-2 drops natural red food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Place all ingredients except the cornstarch mixture into a small saucepan. This includes rice vinegar, water, cane sugar, rice wine, sambal oelek or chili flakes, garlic, ginger, and tamari or soy sauce.
- Bring to Boil: Heat the saucepan on medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring regularly to dissolve the sugar completely and blend the flavors evenly.
- Thicken Sauce: Once boiling, stir in the cornstarch mixture dissolved in water. Continue stirring constantly for about one minute until the sauce thickens to a smooth and glossy consistency.
- Cool and Store: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the sauce to cool completely. Pour it into an airtight jar and store in the refrigerator. The sauce will keep fresh for up to a week.
Notes
- You can adjust the level of heat by varying the amount of sambal oelek or dried chili flakes used.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Natural red food coloring is optional and only used for enhancing color.
- This sauce pairs well with spring rolls, grilled meats, or as a dipping sauce for fried appetizers.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within one week for best freshness.
