Sweet chili sauce
Sweet chili sauce, I think the sweet in it's name always pushed me away. I like my sauces savory. They can be hot, but I expect savory.
Then Jennifer (Lin Shaohong) my favorite cultural ambassador, brought me some zongzi and said they were best served warm with sweet chili sauce. That was the end of my ignorance. It is sweet, savory and spicy. Those Thai cooks really know food.
Over the past week I have had it with crab, on a salad, marinated oysters in it and mixed it with tofu as a hearty dip for daikon radishes. I think this may have changed my life, or at least my eating habits.
1/2 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp Fish Sauce
2 red chili peppers, minced or 1/2 tbsp dried crushed chili #InSummer
3 cloves garlic, minced (have also used 1/2 tbsp Garlic Ginger Salt) #InSummer
1 1/2 tapioca flour (sago) dissolved in 3 tbsp cool water
In a sauce pan combine everything but the tapioca flour. Bring to a rolling boil.
Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half. Reduce heat to low and add the tapioca flour mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.
A delicious marinade or sauce for chicken, fish, and seafood, or as a dip with things like tempura and eggrolls.
More salatious sauces:
Photo Credit: Julie Cecchini
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