Sweet Chili Sauce

photo courtesy of  Closet Cooking, check out his blog
for another interesting variation of this recipe and
other wonderful eats.

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This is a traditional Asian sauce great for dipping homemade egg rolls, spring rolls, and adds savory flavors to the background of sauces and dressings.  Sweet Asian chili sauce can be purchased in the Asian section of your local grocery stores (there are several brands), or at your local Asian market.  I prefer to make sauces from scratch and found this recipe to share here with variations I feel omit potentially unhealthy ingredients with healthier versions.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar    ~ substitutions: splenda or truvia

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2  tablespoons sherry    ~ substitutions: cooking sherry

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 to 1 tablespoons dried crushed chili    ~ substitutions:  1/2 tablespoon, mild - 1 tablespoon hot

1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3-4 tablespoons cool water    ~ substitutions: xanthan gum

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients - except the cornstarch-water mixture - in a sauce pan or pot. Bring to a rolling boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. (Note that the vinegar will be quite pungent as it burns off. Generally, I find rice vinegar less strong than regular white vinegar).
3. Reduce heat to low and add the cornstarch-water mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes).
4. Remove from heat and taste-test. You should taste "sweet" first, followed by sour, then spicy and salty notes. If the sauce isn't sweet enough, add a little more sugar. If not spicy enough, add more chili.
5. Pour sauce into bowl, or jar, and chill, or serve hot.