Description
This Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce is a vibrant, tangy, and slightly spicy condiment perfect for enhancing your favorite Asian dishes. Made with simple ingredients like ketchup, rice vinegar, and brown sugar, it offers a balanced blend of sweet, sour, and savory flavors. Quick to prepare in under 15 minutes, this sauce is ideal for dipping, glazing, or stir-frying.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Combine Base Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce until the mixture is smooth and well blended. This forms the flavorful base of your sweet and sour sauce.
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water to create a slurry. This will help thicken the sauce later.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and, if using, crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned, infusing the oil with aromatic flavors.
- Add and Simmer Sauce Base: Pour the ketchup mixture into the saucepan with the aromatics. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine all flavors thoroughly.
- Thicken the Sauce: Stir the cornstarch slurry again to ensure it’s smooth, then slowly add it to the saucepan while stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with your favorite dishes such as stir-fries, chicken, or spring rolls.
Notes
- You can adjust the sweetness or tanginess by varying the amount of brown sugar or rice vinegar.
- For a spicier sauce, increase the crushed red pepper flakes or add a dash of chili sauce.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce to make the sauce gluten-free.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- This sauce works great as a glaze for grilled meats or as a dipping sauce for appetizers.
