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Thai Sweet Chili Sauce in a white bowl with few ingredients around.

Sweet Chili Sauce

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Thai Sweet Chili Sauce beautifully combines sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. Key ingredients like chili flakes and brown sugar enrich its robust taste. It's ideal for dipping Thai appetizers or using as a marinade for chicken, salmon, or shrimp, bringing an authentic Thai twist to your meals.
Course Dips & Condiments
Cuisine Thai, Asian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 127
Author Sangeetha Vel

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • ½ cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 tbsp Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Ginger
  • 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Tamari or low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Cooking Wine mirin, shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tsp Fish Sauce skip for vegan option
  • 2 tsp Chili Flakes
  • 1 tsp Chili Paste or sambal oelek

For Cornstarch Slurry

  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp Water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar, water, finely chopped garlic, freshly grated ginger, rice vinegar, Tamari, cooking wine, fish sauce, chili flakes, and chili paste. Stir well to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed.
    Adding chili flakes to sauce mixture.
  • Increase the heat slightly to bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend together.
    Ginger, garlic, chili and sauce mixture boiling in the saucepan.
  • Reduce the heat to achieve a gentle simmer. Gradually add the cornstarch slurry while stirring to prevent any lumps from forming. This step will help thicken the sauce effectively.
    Adding the cornstarch slurry to the sauce mixture.
  • Keep simmering the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches your desired thickness and develops a glossy appearance.
    Sweet Chili Sauce mixture boiling in a saucepan.
  • Once thickened, remove the sauce from heat and let it cool slightly before using. Your Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is now ready to enhance various recipes or serve as a delicious dip for your favorite dishes.
    Showing the texture consistency of the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce in blue spoon.

Serving

  • Enjoy this Thai Sweet Chili Sauce as a delicious dipping sauce for chicken wings, fried chicken, wraps, or burgers. It's also perfect for adding a flavorful twist to various stir-fries and Thai dishes.
    Serving Thai Sweet Chili Sauce in a small white bowl.

Notes

Here are my quick tips for making the perfect Thai Sweet Chili Sauce:
  • Fish Sauce: This is a key ingredient in Thai cooking, adding a rich flavor to dishes. It smells strong on its own, but when cooked, the smell blends in and doesn't taste fishy. If you're vegan or vegetarian, feel free to leave it out.
  • Adjusting Heat: This sauce has a balanced spice level, complementing the sweetness of the brown sugar. If you prefer more kick, feel free to add extra chili flakes or chili paste according to your taste.
  • Balancing Flavors: If the sauce is too spicy or too sweet after tasting, adjust it by adding more vinegar to cut through the sweetness and spice, or a little more sugar to soften the heat. This helps achieve a perfect balance according to your personal preference.
  • Consistency Adjustments: If your sauce is too thin, let it simmer longer to thicken up, or mix in a little cornstarch and water to thicken it faster. If it’s too thick, just add a bit of water or some more vinegar to thin it out.
  • Quick Substitution: For a quick alternative to traditional Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, combine hot sauce with honey or brown sugar. Stir in minced red chilies or chili paste for added heat, and a splash of vinegar for a touch of sourness. This mix closely resembles the authentic sauce's flavor profile.

Nutrition

Serving: 4tbsp | Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 299IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

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