Indo-Chinese
Homemade Schezwan Sauce
Indo-Chinese pantry essential — pressure-cooked red chillies, garlic and cloves balanced with vinegar and sugar. Keeps a year refrigerated. Use a teaspoon in everything from fried rice to gravies.
Prep
10 min
Cook
35 min
Serves
4
Per serving
267kcal
Protein
3g
Carbs
65g
Fat
4g
Fibre
7g
Ingredients
- 100 gWhole dried red chillies (Kashmiri preferred)
- 1 cupWater
- 1 cupVinegar
- 15–16Cloves
- 1 headGarlic, sliced
- 1 tspRoasted cumin powder
- 1 cupSugar
- to tasteSalt
Method
- 1
In a pressure cooker, combine water, vinegar, the red chillies, cloves and sliced garlic. Cook for 8–10 whistles on high — yes, that many. The chillies need to be very soft.
- 2
Cool completely. Tip everything into a grinder and blend to a smooth paste.
- 3
Transfer to a heavy pan. Add the sugar, salt and roasted cumin powder. Add a splash of water if too thick.
- 4
Bring to a low simmer for 5–7 minutes. The sauce should be glossy and clinging to the spoon. Cool.
- 5
Bottle in a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Refrigerated, it keeps for up to a year.