Description
Homemade sweet chili pineapple sauce delivers complex tropical flavors with balanced heat and tangy notes. Drizzle over grilled meats, use as a dipping sauce, or incorporate into marinades for an instant flavor enhancement.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (237 ml) fresh pineapple, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) honey
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegar
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) water (for cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsps (10 ml) cornstarch
- 1 tsp (5 ml) red chili flakes
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Combine pineapple chunks, water, white vinegar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a medium saucepan, heating over medium flame to initiate flavor melding.
- Simmering: Allow mixture to gently bubble, stirring periodically, until pineapple softens and becomes translucent, developing a rich, aromatic base.
- Thickening: Create a smooth cornstarch slurry by whisking cornstarch with cool water, then incorporate into the simmering sauce, stirring continuously to ensure uniform consistency and prevent clumping.
- Seasoning: Introduce red chili flakes and sea salt, maintaining a low simmer to activate spices and deepen flavor profile, cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes until the sauce transforms into a glossy, slightly viscous liquid.
- Resting: Remove from heat and let the sauce cool at room temperature, allowing natural thickening and flavor concentration to occur, reaching optimal serving consistency within 15-20 minutes.
Notes
- Prevent Burning: Stir occasionally during simmering to avoid sauce sticking or scorching at the bottom of the pan.
- Cornstarch Technique: Mix cornstarch with cool water separately to prevent lumps and ensure smooth sauce thickening.
- Flavor Development: Allow sauce to rest at room temperature after cooking to enhance depth and concentration of flavors.
- Consistency Control: Monitor sauce thickness during cooling; it will naturally thicken within 15-20 minutes off the heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Appetizer, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg