Traditionally, Thai sweet chili sauce is not thickened with starch; the syrupy consistency is achieved through cooking the sauce containing lots of sugar down until it’s thick enough to create a good suspension of the garlic-pepper bits.
However, if you notice, bottled Thai sweet chili sauce normally contained a starch thickener. You can go either way. I personally prefer the version that contains less sugar which is this one.
I attached a note where Clearjel may be the best substitute for cornstarch. I haven't tried it yet.
Ingredients
- 3 Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 2 Small Red Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers, Seeded (Tip)
- 1/4 Cup White Distilled Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Water
- 1/2 Tbsp. Salt
- 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch (Tip)
- 2 Tbsp. Water
Directions
Yield: 1 Cup Sauce
1.
In the blender, purée together all the ingredients, except for the last two.
2.
Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture thickens up a bit and the garlic-pepper bits begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
3.
Combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer one more minute. The cornstarch will help the sauce to thicken slightly thereby causing nice suspension of the garlic-pepper bits; otherwise, you get a thin sauce with all the little pieces floating on the surface.
Cook's Tip:
1.
I keep the chili seeds in, but your mileage may vary, so adjust the heat accordingly. More seeds = more heat. Keep in mind, however, that the heat is the strongest the day you make the sauce and starts to dissipate gradually. This sauce keeps for a long time, and after a couple of weeks, you can’t even taste the pepper.
2.
If you want to make a large batch of this sauce (more than half a gallon) — and you certainly should since this sauce lasts a long time — the best thickener to use is pre-gelatinized or “pre-gel” starch which is both acid- and heat-stable (corn or potato starch is not). It’s marketed under the brand name Clearjel®. Your chilli sauce will remain viscous and maintain the nice suspension for the entire duration of its shelf life when thickened with pre-gelatinized starch.
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Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving | %DV |
---|---|
Serving Size 34g | |
Recipe makes 12 servings | |
Calories 37 | |
Calories from Fat 0 | 0% |
Total Fat 0.02g | 0% |
Saturated Fat 0.0g | 0% |
Trans Fat 0.0g | |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 292mg | 12% |
Potassium 8mg | 0% |
Total Carbs 9.28g | 2% |
Dietary Fiber 0.1g | 0% |
Sugars 8.41g | 6% |
Protein 0.07g | 0% |
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