soy sauce

Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe - pork not included
with 3 Comments Tags , , , , ,

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

This is a simple homemade recipe for sweet and sour sauce. Sweet and sour sauce is used primarily for chicken or pork dishes, but can also be used for fish as well.

This recipe seems a little bit simple, and isn’t 100% authentic, but it is a delicious sweet and sour sauce you can make in about ten minutes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe - pork not included

Pork not included.

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients

To make about two cups of sweet and sour sauce you will use:

  • Three quarters of a cup of sugar
  • Two thirds of a cup of water
  • A third of a cup of white vinegar
  • A quarter cup of soy sauce
  • About a tablespoon of ketchup
  • And about two tablespoons of corn starch

To make more sauce, just multiply the ingredients. Don’t worry too much about being exact with your math. Minor variations taste pretty much the same, anyways.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

Bring a saucepan to medium-high heat and start combining ingredients.

It’s usually easiest to combine the water, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and corn starch first, and slowly stir in the sugar. It’s quite a bit of sugar and you want to make sure it fully dissolves to ensure your sauce ends up delicious.

While you’re stirring, your mixture should gradually come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, slightly reduce the heat. Continue simmering until it starts to thicken.

The cooking time should only be about five to seven minutes, but going a bit longer is okay to get a thicker sauce.

Tips for Making Sweet and Sour Sauce

  • You can substitute out the white vinegar for rice vinegar if you want to get all fancy and authenticy, but most people prefer the familiar taste of white vinegar.
  • Don’t worry if the sauce continues at a rolling boil when you reduce the heat during the cooking time. It doesn’t end up “burnt” unless you really, really overdo it. The higher the temperature while you simmer it, the quicker it cooks. Bringing it down a bit further is probably the best plan, though.
Teriyaki Marinade
with 0 Comments Tags , , , ,

Making a Simple Teriyaki Marinade

Teriyaki marinades can be used for a variety of recipes. Teriyaki sauces and marinades were originally meant to be used for fish recipes, such as teriyaki salmon, but in the Western world it is very common to use them for other meat dishes such as chicken.

This recipe is not exactly “traditional” and is meant to be a simple version of a teriyaki marinade. There are more traditional, authentic recipes available. This particular recipe is meant to be easily made with ingredients most households should already have.

Teriyaki Marinade

Soy sauce is basically the only real ingredient, anyways

Teriyaki Marinade Ingredients

You will need:

  • Soy sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Fresh garlic
  • Black pepper
  • Optional: Cinnamon or cayenne pepper

How to Make a Simple Teriyaki Marinade

In a large bowl, combine a third of a cup of soy sauce with a third of a cup of water. Add a tablespoon or two of finely chopped garlic. Add about half a teaspoon of black pepper.

A small pinch of either cayenne pepper or cinnamon should suffice, but you can add more if you want your marinade to have a bit of a “kick.”

Place whichever meat you choose into the mixture, cover it, and marinate in the fridge for as long as possible. Two hours would be considered a safe “minimum,” but a bit longer is usually better.

Tips for Making a Teriyaki Marinade

  • Try using orange juice instead of water for a citrus flavor. This option is best used for fish dishes.
  • While neither cayenne pepper or cinnamon is completely necessary, this recipe benefits from using one or the other specifically because it is such a basic recipe for teriyaki.
  • When using a marinade, longer is typically better. It is typically best to prepare your marinade the night before you plan on cooking your meat. This gives the marinade proper time to work its magic.