Easy Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce

This Easy Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe is quick to prepare and bursting with flavor. Made with simple ingredients like water, corn starch, white vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and tomato paste, it’s perfect for adding an authentic touch to your favorite Chinese dishes or as a dipping sauce for snacks. Customize it with optional ingredients like garlic and Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor!

Prep Time 5minutes minutes
Cook Time 10minutes minutes
Total Time 15minutes minutes

Serving Size 4 servings

Equipment

• Small Pot
• Small Bowl
• Utensil (Whisk)

Ingredients

• ½ cup cold water
• 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable, canola, corn, avocado etc)

Optional Ingredients for Extra Flavor

• 1 clove garlic (peeled and smashed, but kept whole)
• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

• Preparation:
  In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with cold water until combined. Then add white vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce, and mix well.
• Making the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
  Set a small pot over medium-low heat. Add oil, garlic (optional), and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes until the oil turns orange and the tomato paste darkens.
• Stir the bowl with the rest of the ingredients to re-mix the corn starch with the sauce. Pour it into the pot with the tomato paste. Whisk quickly until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
• If you used garlic, remove it. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add 1-3 tablespoons of water. Optionally, add Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor.
• Pour the sauce into a bowl and enjoy immediately, perfect for dipping snacks!

Notes
This homemade Chinese sweet and sour sauce is versatile and can be customized to your taste. Adjust the sweetness or tanginess according to your preference. It’s great for dipping fried foods or as a sauce for stir-fries.

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