I know it's going to be a good day when I can finish the morning newspaper crossword puzzle before the mister walks out the door - means I've had a good night's sleep and my brain is firing on at least half cylinders! If I'm still working the puzzle when the mister comes downstairs and sees me sitting at the kitchen table, then he thinks he needs to help - so he'll ask me if there are any sports questions, his specialty. I always say no, even if it's a sports themed puzzle because a) I don't want his help and b) he is never any help!! Allow me to illustrate...the clue was a 5 letter word for nincompoop - duh - my specialty!! I ask the mister and he immediately asks me how many letters...FIVE, I just told you that, FIVE...then he pauses to think and offers up ass...nope, that's three letters...he then gives me dork...this isn't about you and that was four letters...and the grand finale...ignoramus...Nine letters. Nine. Even an IDIOT can see that!! So yesterday did not get off to a great start - my morning puzzle left me puzzled but making this Sweet Chili Sauce quickly turned all the makings of a disaster into a pretty darn good day! I'm so easy to please!
Homemade Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce is pretty easy and quick to make and it tastes much better than what you can buy at the store. Better because you can control the heat/spice and sweetness. Better because you can make it anytime you want and use it as a marinade, a dipping sauce or you can just eat it by the spoonful out of the jar...I'll happily join you in a spoonful or three!
This sauce goes great with Spring Rolls, like these Avocado Spring Rolls. The Aussie taught me to make Spring Rolls years ago, which is when I discovered Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce - and I've been slightly addicted to it ever since. It's great on chicken and pork and I love it on white fish, like cod. I also use this sauce when I make a veggie sandwiches - don't laugh, I do occasionally eat healthy! And this sauce is great as a salad dressing...not kidding...you can put it on anything! Give it a go, start to finish it takes about 15 minutes to make - and all of the ingredients are available in regular grocery stores - even the Sambal Oelek, which is a ground red chili paste and I found it at Safeway in the Asian Food Aisle!
Now don't be a nincompoop, or an ass, dork, ignoramus or an IDIOT...make a double batch of this stuff...you'll be sorry if you don't! I made a double batch and then feeling rather hoggish I gave away the second jar, thinking one jar would last us a while...I have about a 1/4 cup left!!! We more than dipped, we scooped!!
Homemade Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce - Adapted Slightly From The Flavor Bender
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek (red chili paste or you can use 3 red chilies, finely chopped. If you want more heat/spice, add more Sambal Oelek.)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Add the rice vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, cloves and Soy Sauce in a medium non-stick pan. Heat over medium-heat while stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Stir in the Sambal Oelek. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons water and mix until smooth, then add this to the sauce as well. While stirring continuously, simmer the sauce for 5 more minutes, or until it reaches a desired thickness. The sauce will thicken a bit more as it cools as well. Pour into sterilized, glass jars, cool to room temperature and then keep in refrigerator. Or you can process in a water-bath for 10 minutes to keep much longer. Makes about 2 cups.
I love these Weck glass jars - I buy them at World Market but I know they are available at Crate and Barrel and other places as well. They are more work to open and seal but really, they're just too cute not to use!
We devoured most of our sauce with Shrimp Spring Rolls...made just like Avocado Spring Rolls except I added shrimp to the mix. When it comes to Spring Rolls you can put in whatever you want - and however much you want as well. I marinated the shrimp for 20 minutes in some of the sauce, then I grilled them. Since everything was already cooked it was easy to assemble the rolls and then we were ready to eat!
The last spring roll before it was snatched - dang they were good...wish I'd made a double batch of them, too!
