Awesome Sweet & Sour Sauce!
About 27 years ago I got a Chinese cookbook (long since out-of-print) that had a sweet and sour sauce recipe that everyone just loves when I make it. I have been asked for the recipe a few times.
It’s very hard to beat, no Chinese takeaway or restaurant I’ve tried has fully matched it yet.
Have a go! (goes great with battered chicken / prawn / pork balls)
It’s lovely and rich, so you don’t need to use loads when you eat, I’ve tweaked it over the years but only in very minor amounts. I also made the instructions more detailed and with tips 
Sweet and Sour Sauce
2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch / Cornflour.
1/2 cup (64 grams) Light Brown Sugar.
Pinch of salt.
1 Teaspoon Light Soy Sauce (optional).
1/2 cup (120 ml) Cider vinegar or Rice vinegar.
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped finely.
1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger, finely chopped
(Or half a Teaspoon if you are using powdered ginger).
6 Tablespoons of Tomato Ketchup (depending on how you heap your spoon you may want to use more, up to 8).
1 Tablespoon of Tomato Puree.
All The juice from one 260g (approx.) Can of Pineapple Rings / Chunks (use the Juice only, and definitely don’t get the “in syrup” version!)
- Combine cornflour with tomato ketchup and puree so that it mixes fully and doesn’t make lumps when cooking.
- Add small amounts of the Vinegar at a time and mix (also to avoid lumps)
- Add everything else.
- The colour will be a pale red / pink and not very enticing, this will change so don’t worry.
- Heat on hob on moderate to high heat and constantly stir it.
- When you see a few bubbles, turn heat to medium or low and keep stirring.
- The colour will change to a deep and rich Red and start to look silky and semi-translucent.
- It’s now ready for testing. Take it off the heat and stir a bit more.
- Test by letting some cool on a Teaspoon and then taste it (be very careful, treat it like hot Jam!)
- The final taste should be rich and strong and it should taste a tad too strong on its own.
- If it’s genuinely too sweet then add a tad more vinegar and / or tomato)
- Or if too sour, then add a little more sugar.
- If you need to add ingredients then heat the sauce up again and stir, until combined. (Just for a minute max).
- Enjoy!
TIPS:
The sauce is supposed to be quite thick, but not like porridge! So if this happens then there was probably too much cornflour. Just add dashes of cold water to the mix at the end of cooking and stir.
Use real garlic, not powder.
The cider or rice vinegars are best, other types don’t do the trick.
You could use actual pineapple juice, but it’s stronger, so use it very sparingly, and honestly the lighter flavoured, partial juice from a Can works best for this recipe.
Orange juice is not recommended.
Granulated brown sugar also works OK as an alternative.
The sauce will keep in fridge or freezer and will reheat, add a dash or two of water whilst reheating.
This recipe will do enough for about four people at a time.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I have! 