Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Name: Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: Fresh red chiles — 4; Garlic cloves — 3; Rice vinegar — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp); Sugar — 150 g (3/4 cup); Water — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp); Salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp); Cornstarch slurry — 10 g (1 tbsp) mixed with water

The Quirky Foodster Team

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10 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

Ingredients

Fresh red chiles — 4
Garlic cloves — 3
Rice vinegar — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
Sugar — 150 g (3/4 cup)
Water — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
Salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp)
Cornstarch slurry — 10 g (1 tbsp) mixed with water

Method

Finely mince or process chiles and garlic together.
Combine vinegar, sugar, water and salt in a saucepan; bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Add minced chile-garlic mixture; simmer 5-8 minutes until slightly reduced.
Stir in cornstarch slurry, simmer 2-3 minutes more until glossy and thickened.
Cool before bottling; the sauce thickens further as it cools.

Cultural Background: A glossy, mild sweet-spicy dipping sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce is most famously paired with fried chicken and spring rolls, its balanced sweetness and gentle heat making it one of Thailand's most internationally popular condiments.

Tips: • Mince the chile and garlic finely so small flecks are visible throughout the finished sauce, its characteristic appearance. • This sauce is meant to be mildly spicy and predominantly sweet — adjust chile quantity to taste if a hotter version is desired.

Variations: • Add grated carrot for extra colour and texture, a common variation. • Adjust vinegar for a sharper or milder tang.

Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed bottle up to 1 month.

Reheating: Not applicable; served cold or at room temperature. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 40 kcal, 0.1 g protein, 0 g fat, 10 g carbohydrate per 15 ml serving. FAQs What is Thai sweet chili sauce traditionally served with? Fried chicken, spring rolls, and fish cakes, among Thailand's most beloved fried appetizers. How spicy is it? Mildly spicy — it's predominantly sweet with just a gentle background heat, making it broadly popular even among those who avoid very spicy food.

FAQs: What is Thai sweet chili sauce traditionally served with? Fried chicken, spring rolls, and fish cakes, among Thailand's most beloved fried appetizers. How spicy is it? Mildly spicy — it's predominantly sweet with just a gentle background heat, making it broadly popular even among those who avoid very spicy food.