Red Chile Sauce
Red chile sauce is a bold, sweet-heat sauce made from dried red chilies, honey, garlic, and ginger that works as both a sauce and a drizzle.
Ingredients
- 6-8 dried red chilies
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Remove stems and seeds from the dried chilies. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
- Drain and blend the chilies with ½ cup fresh water until smooth.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the chili puree, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, chili flakes, and salt. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Let it cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry.
- Slowly stir the slurry into the sauce and simmer for another 1–2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely—the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Transfer to a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Notes
- Soaking Chilies: Soak dried chilies in hot water until fully softened, this ensures a smooth, blend-able texture and deeper flavor.
- Blending Tip: For a smoother sauce, strain the blended chili mixture through a fine mesh sieve before simmering.
- Honey Caution: Add honey before thickening, not after, it helps integrate the sweetness evenly as the sauce reduces.
- Control the Heat: Use fewer red chili flakes or milder dried chilies if you want a gentler sauce. For more heat, leave in a few seeds or use spicier varieties like Thai or arbol.
- Sauce Thickness: The sauce thickens more as it cools, aim for a slightly runnier texture while it's hot.
- Storage Container: Use a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to keep the sauce fresh and avoid flavor transfer.
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