Sweet and Sour Tamarind Sauce

Elevate your culinary creations with this tangy and flavorful Sweet and Sour Tamarind Sauce—a versatile blend of bold tamarind paste, rich brown sugar, and umami-packed soy sauce, balanced perfectly with zesty rice vinegar and aromatic garlic and ginger. Ready in just 15 minutes, this quick recipe showcases the effortless art of creating a silky, perfectly thickened sauce using a cornstarch slurry. The optional chili flakes add a touch of heat, making it endlessly adaptable for dipping, drizzling, or marinating. Whether you're enhancing grilled meats, stir-fries, or appetizers, this homemade tamarind sauce brings a perfect harmony of complex sweet-and-sour notes to your table while being simple enough for weeknight cooking.

Nutriscore Rating: 62/100

Prep Time:5 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:15 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Tamarind paste
• 1 cup Water
• 4 tablespoons Brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 1.5 tablespoons Rice vinegar
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Ginger, grated
• 0.5 teaspoon Chili flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons Cold water

Directions

Step 1

In a small saucepan, combine tamarind paste and 1 cup of water. Stir until the paste is well-dissolved.

Step 2

Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and chili flakes (if using) to the saucepan. Mix well.

Step 3

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and cold water together to create a slurry.

Step 5

Once the sauce is simmering, gradually add the cornstarch slurry while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.

Step 6

Allow the sauce to simmer for another 2-3 minutes until it thickens to your desired consistency.

Step 7

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed, adding more sugar for sweetness or vinegar for tanginess.

Step 8

Remove the saucepan from heat and let the sauce cool slightly before serving or storing.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(416.7g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	293.4

Total Fat 0.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 0.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1187.8mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 70.1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 2.8g	0%
Total Sugars 62.8g
Protein 3.6g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 98.5mg	0%
Iron 2.2mg	0%
Potassium 531.3mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 1.5%

Protein: 4.8%

Carbs: 93.7%