This is a print preview of "Thai Sweet Chili Sauce" recipe.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe
by Robyn Savoie

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Traditionally, Thai sweet chili sauce is not thickened with starch; the syrupy consistency is achieved through cooking the sauce containing lots of sugar down until it’s thick enough to create a good suspension of the garlic-pepper bits.

However, if you notice, bottled Thai sweet chili sauce normally contained a starch thickener. You can go either way. I personally prefer the version that contains less sugar which is this one.

I attached a note where Clearjel may be the best substitute for cornstarch. I haven't tried it yet.

Rating: 5/5
Avg. 5/5 1 vote
Prep time: Thailand Thai
Cook time: Servings: 12

Goes Well With: poultry, pork

Ingredients

  • 3 Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 Small Red Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers, Seeded (Tip)
  • 1/4 Cup White Distilled Vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 Cup Water
  • 1/2 Tbsp. Salt
  • 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch (Tip)
  • 2 Tbsp. Water

Directions

Yield: 1 Cup Sauce
1. In the blender, purée together all the ingredients, except for the last two.
2. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture thickens up a bit and the garlic-pepper bits begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
3. Combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer one more minute. The cornstarch will help the sauce to thicken slightly thereby causing nice suspension of the garlic-pepper bits; otherwise, you get a thin sauce with all the little pieces floating on the surface.
Cook's Tip:
4. I keep the chili seeds in, but your mileage may vary, so adjust the heat accordingly. More seeds = more heat. Keep in mind, however, that the heat is the strongest the day you make the sauce and starts to dissipate gradually. This sauce keeps for a long time, and after a couple of weeks, you can’t even taste the pepper.
5. If you want to make a large batch of this sauce (more than half a gallon) — and you certainly should since this sauce lasts a long time — the best thickener to use is pre-gelatinized or “pre-gel” starch which is both acid- and heat-stable (corn or potato starch is not). It’s marketed under the brand name Clearjel®. Your chilli sauce will remain viscous and maintain the nice suspension for the entire duration of its shelf life when thickened with pre-gelatinized starch.