Chef John’s Thai-Style Sweet Chili Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 teaspoons sambal chili sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 6 cloves finely crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons finely minced Thai chili peppers (bird’s eye peppers)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions

Place 1/2 cup cold fresh water and vinegar in a saucepan. Whisk in Asian fish sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sambal chili sauce, and cornstarch. Whisk until cornstarch disappears. Place over medium-high heat and bring up to a simmer stirring occasionally. As it bubbles, it will start to thicken up. Remove pan from heat.

Whisk garlic and chili into hot mixture. Add fresh lime juice; whisk again. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before checking for seasonings.

If not using immediately, transfer to a glass jar with a lid. Refrigerate.