Grandma’s Sweet Chili Sauce

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Made Easily At Home

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is a sweet, spicy accompaniment to Asian finger food and a riot in the mouth. This post is packed with tips and tricks to help you make this dipping sauce easily at home.

I love dips. The kind of transformation that happens when you dunk food in a dipping sauce is amazing… So simple but such a crowd pleaser. Asian food is all about the freshest of ingredients, the simplest ways of cooking delicious, healthy food. And it is super light, so you wont feel like a stuffed potato after!

And definitely, no Asian feast is complete without the legendary Homemade Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. This sauce is a classic condiment in Asian cuisine, especially Thai and Vietnamese food. Its authentic name is Nam Chim Kai -Thai for dipping sauce. Cute, right?

Yes, you could do a supermarket run and buy a jar of this sauce, but I prefer fresh food without preservatives, especially because it is sooo easy to make at home. If you Google this recipe, you will find different versions. However, my version is simple and foolproof.

Recipe: Grandmas Chili Sauce

The Dynamics of Family

My family is small. I have three cousins, three aunts, and three siblings. When I was born I was fortunate enough to have three full sets of Great Grandparents living. Yet the rhythm of time separated us. The distance across the country, drugs, personal choice, death, and divorce.

Through High School, I was close to my paternal grandma. With her, I shared a passion for writing, drawing, and wordplay. She taught me to darn socks, even though I told her we could buy a pack for a buck or two. Weekend mornings, my dad and I would walk through her green front door and Id announce, I heard you were making us breakfast, Grandma!

It was news to her ears, but she always made me waffles or french toast. The morning faded into the afternoon and Id find my way to her fruit room and bring up a pint of her chili sauce. Oh, man did I love this stuff.

Now they are gone. Forever. It was seldom, though a few times I found myself back at her home. Her fruit room still a beautiful display of colorful canned fruits, vegetables and a few jars of chili sauce. One by one we opened those jars and relived the memories of my grandmother as her chili sauce tantalized our taste buds.

A couple of years ago I asked my dad if he had Grandmas Chili Sauce recipe. He did not, but would ask his sister.

This resulted in a recipe she was makingbut NOT my grandmas.

Then my cousin came back into my life. I asked her. She did not have it either.

Grandma Janas Chili Sauce

Can I Use A Sugar Substitute For Making Sweet Chili Sauce

Yes, you can use honey, agave syrup or brown rice syrup if you prefer. Since these are liquids you will need to add a little extra cornstarch to thicken it. Honey in particular is also sweeter than sugar so I recommend using a little less and adding some water in its place to dilute the sweetness.

For a diabetic alternative you can use a powdered/granular sweetener of your choice, such as erythritol.

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How Do I Get My Sauce To Look Red Like The Bottled Stuff

If youre using a chili sauce like sambal oelek that will give your sauce a nice red color. Without it your sauce will not be as red. Is there another way to give it that aesthetically attractive red color? Yes, if you want a little red color boost you can use food coloring but if youre going to I strongly recommend using natural red coloring . You can find natural food coloring here.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

Thai sweet chili sauce is known as nam chim kai in Thailand. It is sold in bottles and available in Asian food markets, but it’s also easy to make at home. It only takes a few minutes to put together, and you can find everything you need in your pantry or at your local supermarket. And since you control the ingredients, you also control the amount of sweetness and heat.

Thai sweet chili sauce makes a superb condiment for many Thai dishes and is excellent with chicken and fish. It is also wonderful as a marinade for grilling or as a dip for finger foods. Try it with grilled fish, classic Thai fish cakes, Thai crab cakes, chicken wings, vegetarian egg rolls, and Thai spring rolls.

Recommended Reading: Kraft Thick And Spicy Bbq Sauce

Sweet Chili Sauce 145 Oz

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How Do I Use Sweet Chili Sauce

Here are a few things you can enjoy with your homemade sweet chili sauce, either as a dip, marinade or added to it:

• Grilled, baked or fried chicken or salmon
• Grilled or battered shrimp
• Fried or baked tofu nuggets
• Chicken/meat/seafood kabobs
• Mixed with cream cheese and served with crackers

HOW DO I STORE SWEET CHILI SAUCE?

You can store the sauce in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for two to three months. The sauce will congeal if you freeze it. But if you gently heat it up and stir it, its texture will return to normal.

Lets get started!

Place all of the ingredients except for the cornstarch mixture in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring regularly. Once the sugar is dissolved stir in the cornstarch mixture, stirring continually.

Continue stirring for about a minute until the sauce is thickened.

Let the sauce cool completely, pour into an airtight jar.

Store in an airtight jar in the fridge where it will keep for up to a week.

Enjoy!

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What Is Sweet Chili Sauce

Sometimes also referred to as Thai Sweet Chili Sauce or Asian Sweet Chili Sauce, its a simultaneously sweet, savory, tangy and spicy sauce incorporating red chilies, garlic, ginger, sugar and vinegar.

You can find bottled sweet chili sauce in most grocery stores but if youre like me once you open the bottle it ends up sitting in the fridge forever and forgotten about until its time to toss it. One of the several advantages of making youre own is that you can regulate how much you make. This recipe makes about 1 cup which is usually enough for whatever you have in mind and if you need more you can simply double it. As quick and easy as it is to make theres simply NO excuse to buy it!

One of the ingredients used in sweet chili sauce is pickled red chili. Ive found that between using a chili paste like sambal oelek and adding some vinegar that same flavor is fully replicated. Most grocery stores carry sambal oelek but if you cannot find it you can use dried red chili flakes. Chili flakes are considerably spicier than sambal oelek so be sure to cut back on them unless you like it really hot.

Substitute For Fresh Chillies

If you cant find fresh red chillies, just use the good old dried red chillies. Soak the dried chillies in warm water to rehydrate them and then grind them up. When your sauce is ready, you should see tiny pieces of chilli and minced garlic floating around. These little bits are the life of the sauce.

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Can You Say Umami

Sweet chili sauce often has all the high notes of sugar and white vinegar without the low notes of umami for balance. While this sauce does have garlic , were also going to add a splash of tamari , which is a fermented product simply oozing umami. It adds depth and makes the overall flavor more interesting. If youre gluten-free be sure to use tamari.

How To Make Grandma’s Chili Sauce

• 1COMBINE tomatoes, onions, green and red peppers, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, horseradish, if using, celery salt, mustard seeds and salt in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours, until sauce begins to thicken. Add allspice, mace, cinnamon and cloves. Continue to boil gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened and sauce begins to mound on a spoon, about 30 minutes
• 2PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
• 3LADLE the hot chili sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot sauce. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
• 4PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
• Last Step: Don’t forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don’t forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
• Printable Recipe Card

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Heres A Tip: Use Fresh Red Chillies

I like to use fresh red chillies. It enhances the flaming red colour and leaves that spicy tingle on the tongue. Thai red chillies are what I recommend. They are super spicy though, so be careful.

If youd like to reduce the heat, slit them open and remove the seeds because the seeds have the most heat in them. Mince the chillies or put them in the food processor. However, dont make it a very fine paste. Keep it chunky for texture.

Grandmas Famous Easy Touchdown Chili Sauce

Grandmas Famous Easy Touchdown Chili Sauce is a spicy-sweet condiment thats super easy to make. This sauce is healthy and naturally gluten-free. Its delicious on hotdogs, brats, and burgers, pork chops, and more.

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Touchdown!

A made-from-scratch batch of Grandmas Famous Easy Touchdown Chili Sauce always scores a major win. Invite friends over to watch the big game and enjoy munching on your favorite foods, topped with this yummy sauce.

Ingredients

To make Grandmas Easy Touchdown Chili Sauce start by combining peeled, chopped tomatoes, diced onion, and green pepper.

Next, combine salt, cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg.

Add the spices to the tomato mixture.

Measure 1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce and add it to the tomato mixture.

Measure 2-1/4 cups apple cider vinegar and add it to the tomato mixture.

Heat the Sauce

Next, heat the tomato mixture over medium heat until it comes to a low boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 2 hours, or until it thickens.

Storage

Delicious Sauce

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What To Eat It With

This sauce is hot and sweet, making it a very versatile dipping sauce. You can serve it with finger foods or douse your crispy noodles in it. While its mainly used as a dipping sauce, I also use it in stir-fries to add that perfect sweet, salty, spicy flavour.

Some dishes that go well with Nam Chim Kai are:

Vegetarian Nuggets, Spring Rolls, Egg rolls, Chicken nuggets, momos and Chinese Potli Samosa Wontons, Vegetable/ Seafood tempura, fried calamari, etc.

I always have a jar of this sauce in the fridge. It is so handy, you will be making it again and again.

Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe

As with most everything, nothing beats homemade and Sweet Chili Sauce is no exception. Not only is it super quick and easy to make, its cheaper, doesnt have any additives or preservatives, you know exactly where the ingredients come from, AND it tastes better than the bottled stuff. Thats a win-win! This homemade sweet chili sauce recipe is sure to become your go-to whenever youre craving this deliciously versatile sauce!

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Gramas Chili Sauce Sweet

Sauce, Sweet Chilli

Gluten-free. No MSG. Non GMO Project verified. nongmoproject.org. All natural. My grandma Suree raised me when I was very young. Running around her house in Thailand, there was always the wonderful smell of her sweet chilli sauce. The whole town loved eating ti with BBQ chicken. And we would always find new foods to eat her sauce with. It worked really well as a dipping sauce for chicken bbq, egg rolls, veggies and even french fries. Now, not only enjoyed in Thailand, people around the world especially in Europe & Australia have fallen in love with her sauce it has been a big part of October fest in Germany for years. Try it now! All of your party guests will love my Grama’s sauce as much as I do. – Kris Wattanaporn. Dipping & barbecue. Great for all cuts of meat. No preservatives. www.tastenirvana.com. TasteNirvana. Find more about our all real products at www.tastenirvana.com. Product of Thailand.

Grandmas Chili Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

16 cups chopped cored peeled tomatoes

6 onions, chopped

6 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 cups white vinegar

1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. freshly grated or drained bottled horseradish, optional

1 Tbsp. celery salt

1 tsp. ground mace or nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

7 Ball® pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Optional: Ball® freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner + Multicooker

DIRECTIONS

Combine tomatoes, onions, green and red peppers, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, horseradish, if using, celery salt, mustard seeds and salt in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours, until sauce begins to thicken. Add allspice, mace, cinnamon and cloves. Continue to boil gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened and sauce begins to mound on a spoon, about 30 minutes.

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.

Ladle the hot chili sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot sauce. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

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