on Dec 09, 2021, Updated Nov 28, 2023
About Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (Asian Sweet Chilli Sauce, Nam Chim Kai) is a traditional Asian condiment that is sweet, savory, spicy, and sticky, all at the same time. It is a very versatile sauce that is extensively used in Asian cuisine, especially Thai and Vietnamese. It is easily available at grocery stores and supermarkets these days but making your own sweet chili sauce at home makes a lot of sense because, This delicious sauce is gluten-free and vegetarian and can be easily made vegan. I also have a version of this sauce with pineapple. Do check out Pineapple Chili Sauce. Here are some more homemade sauces that you may like
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Ingredients
Sugar – Traditionally, granulated white sugar is used to make this sauce. You can replace white sugar with honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, or brown rice syrup if you wish to. Since these options are liquid, you will have to add a little extra cornstarch. Make the sauce sugar-free by replacing sugar with stevia. 4 to 5 drops of stevia should be good enough to sweeten the sauce. Cornstarch – Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce. If you have a corn allergy, then replace cornstarch with potato starch or tapioca flour. Garlic – Fresh garlic adds a lot of flavor to this sauce. Red Pepper Flakes – Pepper flakes (red chili flakes) are added for that much-needed heat and spicy taste. You can increase or decrease the amount according to your taste. Rice Vinegar – To add a little tanginess, add rice vinegar. If rice vinegar is not available, use regular white vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. You can replace some or all of the vinegar with lime juice as well. Fish Sauce – Fish sauce adds a nice umami kick to the sauce. Feel free to skip it for a vegan version. You can also replace it with soy sauce for the umami taste. Sambal Oelek – Sambal Oelek is a chili paste made using a variety of chilies and some added ingredients like vinegar, shrimp paste, etc. It gives great depth to the sauce, but it is definitely not an essential ingredient. You can also replace it with Asian Red Chili Paste or Sriracha sauce. The store-bought sauce mostly has xanthan gum added to it. It is a plant-based ingredient that has no side effects and it stabilizes the sauce (prevents it from splitting). You can add a teaspoon of it once the homemade sweet chili sauce is cooked.
How To Make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Stir together 1 and ½ tablespoon cornstarch with ¼ cup water to make a slurry. Set aside. Add
½ cup granulated white sugar 2 teaspoon minced garlic 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup water ¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar, apple cider vinegar) ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 2 teaspoon sambal oelek (or red chili paste, Sriracha sauce) 1 tablespoon fish sauce
to a saucepan and stir to combine. Heat on medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir frequently while cooking. Add the corn starch slurry and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring continuously. Remove the pan from heat and let the sauce cool down. Transfer to a clean glass jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Stir nicely and warm it in a microwave or a pan over the stovetop to room temperature before serving.
Usage Ideas
This spicy sweet chili sauce is a perfect dipping sauce for finger foods like spring rolls (egg rolls), wontons, french fries, crab rangoon, grilled chicken, fried chicken, chicken wings, or chicken nuggets. I practically use it almost always to dip anything I am munching at. In Thailand, this sauce is served with steamed rice and grilled chicken or pork. You roll the meat in rice, dip it in the sauce, and gobble. I always serve it with my homemade Vietnamese summer rolls and scallion pancakes. A cheesy sandwich goes to the next level after dipping into this sauce. You can use it as a marinade for tofu, chicken, shrimp, fish like salmon or tilapia, or beef before grilling them. I also like to mix some of it with Greek yogurt, cream cheese, or sour cream and churn up a quick dip for crackers and veggies. Use it as a stir-fry sauce for noodles and rice or veggies, chicken, and shrimp. Apply a little chili sauce on wraps or burgers to give a nice after-kick. Toss mushrooms, carrots, and bell peppers in this Thai sweet chilli sauce and bake until done for delicious vegetarian sides.
Storage Suggestions
If not refrigerated properly or the container is not clean, this sweet chilli sauce can go bad quickly. Make sure to use a clean glass jar to store the sauce and keep it in the refrigerator at all times. This way, the sauce can be kept for up to a month. You can also freeze it for about 2 to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Once you thaw the sauce, it will become semi-solid, but if you heat it up gently in a microwave or in a pan over the stovetop, it will return to its normal texture. This sauce is great for canning too. I am not an expert in canning but I have seen people using canned sauce all around the year.
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