Thai Sweet Chili Sauce for Spring Rolls or Fried Tofu

College Girl's Note:

Really good on any Thai food or whatever you need a dipping sauce for. Even chicken strips or ... whatevs. MMMM... o la la Your jalapeno mileage may vary, so adjust the heat accordingly. Keep in mind, however, that the heat is the strongest the day you make the sauce and starts to dissipate gradually the longer it is kept in the refrigerator. I usually start off with more pepper than I would like and let the sauce sit in the fridge for a couple of days before I use it. This sauce keeps for a long time, and after a couple of weeks, you can't even taste the pepper.

• Total Time: 4 mins
• Prep Time: 1 mins
• Cook Time: 3 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 1.0 cup

• 3 large garlic cloves , peeled
• 2 red jalapeno chiles , seeded (or green jalapeno peppers)
• ½ cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• ½ tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions:

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. Simmer over medium heat until 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 mor 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 at the top.
4. Let cool completely before storing in a glass jar and refrigerate.