If there was one abomination I’d love see disappear, it would be the nasty candy cane red “sweet and sour” sauce served in Asian restaurants – or worse, in bottles at the store. It is rarely sour, and has so much artificial red dye, it is a migraine waiting to happen. A good basic sweet & sour sauce is easy to make. Keep it on hand for a week or so, in the refrigerator, for dipping rolls into, or add it to a stir fry right at the end, for an amazing dinner.
Sweet & Sour Sauce
Ingredients:
- 20 ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits, in juice
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar (plain)
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- ½ tsp powdered ginger
Directions:
Drain pineapple juice, measuring out 2/3 cup, reserving the rest. Add the 2/3 cup juice to a saucepan with rice vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.
Meanwhile, stir the cornstarch into the remaining pineapple juice (it will be 1-2 Tablespoons worth). Stir the cornstarch into the boiling sauce, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium, stirring until thick. Take off the heat.
If using as a stir fry sauce, stir in the reserved pineapple. As a dipping sauce, use pineapple in another recipe.
Makes about 1 cup sauce.