Sweet Chili Shrimp Pad Thai Stir Fry

A Moment for Sweet Chili Sauce Appreciation 

Sweet chili sauce, also known as Nam Chim Kai in Thailand, is a popular chili sauce condiment in Thai, Malaysian, and even some Western cuisines. This simple sauce is made from a base of sugar, water, and vinegar, with a mix of chili peppers and garlic, and is usually thickened up a bit with starch to give it a syrup-like consistency. 

As the name suggests, sweet chili sauce offers a balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, making it versatile enough to use in several different dishes. And although it’s intended to be quite spicy, the actual level of heat can vary depending on the amount and type of chili peppers used.

Aside from its use in dishes like the recipe above, sweet chili sauce is often served as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, chicken wings, and occasionally fried street-style foods. It’s also used as a glaze in various stir-fry dishes or as an ingredient in marinades. Suffice to say, it’s basically good on anything. 

How About Some Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce?

Yes, you can always purchase sweet chili sauce at the grocery store, but it’s actually very easy to whip up if you’ve got the ingredients and about 10-15 minutes to spare. And trust us, it’s worth it.

Here’s how to make your own sweet chili sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vinegar (white or rice vinegar)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh red chili peppers, finely chopped (use less if you want it less spicy, and more if you want it extra hot)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir everything together until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved.
2. Add in the chopped chili peppers and minced garlic to the saucepan. Continue stirring and let the mixture come to a boil.
3. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes or until it slightly thickens.
4. Slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture to thicken your sauce. Continue stirring for a couple of minutes until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. 
5. Once done, remove the saucepan from the heat and let your sweet chili sauce cool down.

That’s pretty much it! Once your sauce has cooled a bit, you can pour it in a jar or bottle and place in your refrigerator for storage. You have about 2-3 weeks of sauce enjoyment until it’s time to discard it and make a new batch. Sweet chili sauce can be used in pasta sauce, salad dressing, pizza sauce, on grilled seafood, and even as popcorn seasoning. It’s great for experimentation, so feel free to see what else you can do with it.