Recipes
How to prepare sweet and sour sauce with the original Chinese recipe
Very simple to prepare, the sweet and sour sauce recipe is what will allow you to bring an authentic Chinese meal to the table.
If you have ever been to a Chinese restaurant you have probably tasted sweet and sour sauce. It is served in combination with dragon clouds, the characteristic white chips, or with spring rolls . It is a delight and its perfectly balanced flavor is able to tickle our taste buds.
It is only on sale in ethnic shops and well-stocked supermarkets, but once you have discovered how simple it is to prepare I am sure you will do without buying it. It can be kept in the refrigerator for a week and the only precaution is to cover it well with cling film to prevent a patina from forming on the surface.
Preparation
How to make Chinese sweet and sour sauce recipe
Place the water, vinegar , tomato paste , soy sauce and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and mix well.
Also add the potato starch and mix with a kitchen whisk until it has dissolved. This step must be done with the heat off.
At this point, transfer the saucepan to the heat and, over medium heat , thicken the sauce, stirring often. It will be ready when it coats the back of a spoon. However, I recommend tasting it because it may be necessary to balance the sour flavor of the vinegar with a pinch of extra sugar, or add salt to add a touch of flavour.
Let the sauce cool completely before serving it in combination with classic Chinese dishes, such as spring rolls .
Here is a short video with all the steps to make it and get an idea of the final consistency it should have if you have never tried it.
If desired, you can give the sauce a spicy note by adding chili flakes or spicy sauce to taste (Tabasco, Sriracha, etc.) during cooking.
Conservation
You can store it in the refrigerator, covered with cling film, for up to a week . Alternatively, the sweet and sour sauce can be frozen
Origin and history
Sweet and sour sauce is called poor man's sauce in some areas of China due to the low cost of the ingredients that compose it. The Chinese Communist Party used to distribute it to the people so as to make it a representative food of their culture. It seems to have originated in the Chinese province of Hunan but the version we know today is very different from the original one, although it shares some ingredients such as sugar and vinegar.
Consequently, like many other recipes passed off as Chinese (this is the case of Cantonese rice , spring rolls , Kung Pao chicken or General Tzo's chicken) they are practically unknown in their homeland. They spread at the hands of Chinese immigrants to America who, not having the original ingredients at their disposal, exploited what was there to create dishes with an exotic taste that however suited the American palate.
But the success of the sweet and sour sauce can be attributed to two fast-food chains: Panda Express and McDonald's which began offering it together with Chicken McNuggets .
Read also
How to make soy sauce
Riproduzione riservata © - WT
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