How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

FAQs

What is Chinese sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Could I use flour instead of cornstarch? Yes, but you may need more flour than what the recipe calls for in cornstarch. The cornstarch is just used to thicken the sauce; flour will also thicken the sauce, just not as well.

In China, the sauces are traditionally made by mixing sugar or honey with a sour liquid such as rice vinegar or soy sauce and spices such as ginger and cloves.

If the sauce isn't thick enough, you can add one more tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk it in. But remember, the sauce will thicken even more as it cools down. So only add more cornstarch if the sauce is way too thin. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

All-Purpose Flour

Although it won't produce the same glossy shine as cornstarch, it'll get the job done in a pinch. All-purpose flour contains about half the thickening power of cornstarch, so for every tablespoon of cornstarch required, you'll need to substitute two tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

Tip: Sugar can also soften acidic flavors, as in a sweet-and-sour sauce. To see how, make an overly sour vinaigrette, then whisk in sugar a pinch at a time until the vinaigrette tastes less harsh but not sweet.

Agrodolce — Italian for “sour, sweet,” this reduction of sugar and vinegar can be enjoyed on a variety of foods. See recipe below. Chakalaka — A South African relish made with chiles, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage vinegar, spices (like masala) and traditionally eaten with braai (barbecue).

What is the mixture of sour and sweet? ›

At the heart of it, sweet & sour mix is just lemon juice, lime juice, water, and sugar. The basic ration is equal parts sugar water and citrus juice. You can always make it sweeter or more tart to fix your preference.

Here is the recipe that I use.... 1/4 C of brown sugar 1/2 C of white sugar 1/3 cup white vinegar 1/4 C of pineapple juice and pineapple chunks 1/4 C of ketchup 1/4 cup soy sauce If it is too thin then add a little flour to help give it some body. Boil on the stove and let cool, it will thicken as it cools.

Sweet and sour sauce tastes just like it sounds. A little bit sweet and a little bit sour at the same time. You will also have notes from whatever you flavour it with. The sweet and sour tastes can be made with a simple sugar and vinegar mix.

It is speculated that the name "duck sauce" came about because its ancestor, tianmian sauce, was first served with Peking duck in China. When the Chinese emigrated to the U.S., they created Chinese dishes that would appeal more to the American palate, and developed a sweeter version of the sauce used in China.

The sweet and sour sauce you get from most chinese restaurants is dyed with food colouring to make it red. When I make sweet and sour sauce from scratch, there's a bit of a red colour, but that's because I use ketchup to make some of the “sour” part. It's also got tomatoes in it, which adds some red colour.

Sweet and sour chicken, one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes, is made of puffy, golden brown pieces of fried chicken nuggets with pineapple chunks, onion, bell pepper, carrot, and a side of iconic red, sweet and sour sauce.

Thai sweet and sour dishes are very close in taste to their Chinese counterpart but have a few added ingredients, including a little chili.

The sour often is from white rice vinegar, but can also include soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Garlic, clove, and ginger also can make an appearance. Western sweet and sour sauce will often include the following: vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, tomato paste or ketchup, pineapple, green bell pepper, garlic, and onion.