Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce
⏱️ 2 min🍳 8 min⏱️ 10 min📊 Trivial🍽️ Makes about 1 cup (240 ml)Volume 2 · Sunday Sauce
The authentic Chinese takeout sweet and sour sauce — tangy rice vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, and a whisper of soy sauce, thickened to a glossy, clingy perfection in under 10 minutes.
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| ⅓ cup (80 ml) | warm water |
| ¼ cup (60 ml) | rice vinegar |
| ⅓ cup (65 g) | brown sugar |
| 2 tbsp | tomato paste or ketchup |
| 1 tbsp | soy sauce |
| 1 tsp | cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water (slurry) |
This sauce is the real deal: balanced, bright, and beautifully glossy. Use it for sweet and sour chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu. It keeps in the refrigerator for weeks.
- In a small saucepan, combine the warm water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, and soy sauce. Whisk until the tomato paste and sugar are fully dissolved.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry again (it settles quickly) and pour it into the sauce. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat. Use immediately or let cool and refrigerate.
| Storage | Method |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Store in an airtight jar for up to 3 weeks. |
Per Serving (2 tbsp): Calories 45, Fat 0g, Carbs 11g, Fiber 0g
Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 2: Sunday Sauce
Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 2 · Sunday Sauce. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.