Let’s Make Thai Chili Sauce

Chili peppers are bursting with free-radical scouring antioxidants, and studies show that capsaicin exhibits antiviral and antibacterial properties as well. Proven topical applications of chili peppers include creams, gels, lotions and patches to relieve joint and nerve pain often associated with osteoarthritis and diabetic neuropathy. In the future, capsaicin injections may replace cortisone injections.

Capsaicin has several other medical uses, including:

• Lowering blood pressure

• Lowering serum cholesterol

• Working as an anticoagulant

• Treating herpes

• Relieving stomach pain

• Treating shingles

Ongoing studies show promise in the prevention and control of an array of conditions, including:

• Post-surgical pain

• Cancer prevention and treatment

• Heart attack prevention

• Stroke prevention

• Pneumonia prevention and treatment

• Migraine relief

Got it? Cool! Now lets make a Spicy Thai Chili Sauce thats perfect for salads, egg rolls and more!

Ingredients

• ½ cup rice vinegar unseasoned

• 3/4 cup water

• 4 oz white sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp)

• 5 garlic cloves chopped finely

• 1 tbsp soy sauce gluten-free soy sauce or salt if you’d like to keep the recipe gluten-free or soy-free, OR 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper optional – halve it or leave it out if you like it less spicy

• 2.8 oz sambal oelek a generous 2 1/2 tbsp (please see recipe notes)

• 4 tsp cornflour/cornstarch (see recipe notes)

• 2 tbsp water

Instructions

• Add the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic cloves, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper (if using) in to a non-stick pan. If you’re using dried chili instead of sambal oelek, add it to the pan at the same time. 

• Heat over medium heat while stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes. 

• Add the sambal oelek and mix through. Let it cook for a few minutes until it’s slightly thickened (2- 5 minutes)

• Mix the cornstarch and water into a smooth slurry and add this to the sauce as well.

• While stirring frequently (to prevent the sauce from burning at the bottom), simmer the sauce for a further 2 – 5 minutes or until it reaches a desired thickness. Remember, the sauce thickens as it cools as well. If it thickens too much, add a little extra water to thin it out. If you’re using Clear Jel, the sauce will thicken mostly only as it cools down. 

• Pour into glass jars with air-tight lids (OR heated and sterilized jars to store for longer).

• Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge.