Description
This classic Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce is tangy, sweet, and perfectly balanced, making it an ideal accompaniment for stir-fries, fried dishes, or as a dipping sauce. Made with simple pantry ingredients like rice vinegar, ketchup, and brown sugar, this sauce is quick to prepare on the stovetop and thickens to a smooth, glossy finish with the help of cornstarch. The addition of garlic powder and fresh grated ginger gives it a subtle aromatic depth, making it a versatile and delicious addition to many Chinese-inspired meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
Instructions
- Prepare the slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth to create a slurry that will thicken the sauce evenly.
- Combine sauce ingredients: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and fresh grated ginger. Stir the mixture thoroughly until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture just begins to simmer.
- Thicken the sauce: Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Continue cooking and stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- Finish and store: Remove the saucepan from heat. Use the sauce immediately as a glaze, dip, or stir-fry sauce, or allow it to cool and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for later use.
Notes
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more brown sugar if desired.
- Increase the tanginess by adding extra rice vinegar.
- For a spicier variation, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Sauce thickens as it cools; if it becomes too thick, thin it with a splash of water before using.
