Ingredients
8 oz (225 g) red jalapeno peppers
2 heads garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon water (plus 1 teaspoon water to make the cornstarch slurry)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Directions
1
Making chili garlic sauce is super easy. I like to think of it as an Asian salsa. It combines those red jalapeno peppers and garlic with sugar, salt, a little vinegar, and a slurry of cornstarch to create the right texture.
2
You’ll need a blender, a strainer, and a clean mason jar to preserve your spicy creation.
3
Blend the peppers with the seasonings until it forms a chunky sauce.
4
Remove 1/4 cup of blended peppers to add back later for texture.
5
Blend the rest of the ingredients into a smooth sauce.
6
Strain the sauce.
7
Slightly cook the sauce together with the chunky part.
8
Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
9
NOTE: bringing the sauce to a gentle boil helps thicken it and brings out the flavor of the peppers. Avoid overcooking the sauce, which will make the bright red-orange color go away.
10
The sauce will be quite spicy once you make it. But the flavor will become milder and more balanced over time.
11
You should always keep the sauce in your refrigerator so it stays fresh. Then you can use it on all kinds of dishes.
12
Combine the peppers, garlic, salt, sugar, vinegar, and water in a blender. Blend on medium until chunky. Remove 1/4 of the blended mixture.
13
Turn the blender to high and liquify the remaining contents of the blender.
14
Strain the liquified mixture so that you are left with just the juices.
15
Add the strained juice and reserved chunky bits to a pot.
16
Meanwhile, add the cornstarch to a small bowl with 1 teaspoon water, stir to mix well to make a slurry.
17
Heat the pot over medium-high heat. Once warm, add the cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil.
18
After reaching a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool completely. The chili garlic sauce is ready to serve.
19
To store, transfer the chili garlic sauce to a clean mason jar and seal it. Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.