Tangy Thai Sauce (Easy!)

I thought I'd start a new blog feature: Recettes de la Semaine. This will help me keep track of tweaked, tried and true recipes. 

Today's recipe is adapted from Darlene Schmidt  I chose this recipe because i wanted dipping sauce for my salad rolls, but I was too lazy to go out and get cornstarch (about what 99.9% other recipes for Thai Chili sauce needs). The greatest thing about making this sauce versus buying it, is that I can put in double the chilies and a little more garlic to create a spicier, stronger sauce. It looks a little browner and not as orangey as the store brought ones - but it tastes sooooo much better. It turned out to be great, and I never had felt the need to look up another recipe for Thai Chilis sauce since! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 3-4 fresh red chilies
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients in a sauce pan or pot. Stir and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken as it cooks and become tangy - a mixture of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. 
3. When sauce has been reduced by 1/3, remove from heat. Taste-test and adjust according to your liking. For a sweeter sauce, add a little more sugar. If not spicy enough, add more chili. If not salty or flavorful enough, add a splash more fish sauce.
4. Use right away, or refrigerate until needed. This sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

This sauce makes a terrific marinade for chicken, pork, beef, fish, or shrimp, or use it as a dip or condiment. I personally use it as dipping sauce for salad rolls!