Chilli Garlic Sauce
A punchy Sichuan-inspired sauce of fresh chilli, lots of garlic, soy, black vinegar and sugar.
makes 14 cubes, about 17p each
- Time
- 15 min10 min prep · 5 min cook
- Makes
- 14 cubes
- Cost per cubePer cube
- 17p
- Calories per cubeCalories
- 42 kcal
- A serving
- 2 cubes
- Spice
- 3 of 5
You’ll need
- 6 (60g)red chillies, chopped
- 12 cloves (60g)garlic, chopped
- 20gfresh ginger
- 80mlsoy sauce
- 40mlblack or rice vinegar
- 30gsugar
- 15gcornflour
- 200mlwater
- 30mlrapeseed oil
Allergens: Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Use it for
Chilli garlic prawns or chicken with rice · 2 cubes; Spicy smashed cucumber dressing · 1 cube; Chilli garlic green beans · 1 cube
Method
- Step 1: Fry the chilli, garlic and ginger in the oil over a medium-low heat for 3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Step 2: Add the soy, vinegar, sugar and water and bring to a simmer.
- Step 3: Whisk in the cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water and simmer for 1 minute.
- Step 4: Cool.
- Step 5: Pour into 30ml trays and freeze.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per cube | 42 | 0.8g | 5.5g | 2g | 0.2g | 0.86g |
| Per 2 cubes | 84 | 1.6g | 11g | 4g | 0.4g | 1.72g |
Cook’s notes
- Straight from frozen into a hot wok.
- Deseed the chillies for a 2.
- Chinkiang black vinegar gives the most authentic flavour.
Use it for
- Chilli garlic prawns or chicken with rice · 2 cubes
- Spicy smashed cucumber dressing · 1 cube
- Chilli garlic green beans · 1 cube
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, freeze it in 30ml ice-cube trays, then bag and label the cubes. It keeps for 4 months.
- Use from frozen
- Straight from frozen into a hot wok. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
- A portion
- 2 cubes is a serving: about 84 kcal.
Chilli Garlic Sauce questions
Can I use it as a dipping sauce?
It makes a good dip for dumplings, spring rolls and crispy tofu. Thaw a cube and loosen it with a little water or extra vinegar so it's easy to dip into.
Why mix the cornflour with cold water first?
Cornflour stirred straight into hot liquid clumps into lumps. Mixing it with cold water first lets it spread evenly, so the sauce thickens smoothly.
What does it go with besides rice?
Toss it through stir-fried aubergine, tenderstem broccoli or crispy tofu, or use it to dress cold noodles with cucumber and spring onion.
Freezer meals that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates. Gluten-free assumes tamari in place of soy sauce.