Schezwan sauce. The Indian version of fiery spicy sauce originated in China and a quintessential element of Indo-Chinese cuisine. With its spicy, sweet and savory combination of red chilies, soy sauce and vinegar, this gorgeous red sauce tastes amazing in stir fries and dips. If you love extra spice kick to your delicious dishes, this is a must try.
Inspired by Chinese szechuan sauce, this Indo-Chinese sauce is super easy to make at home and is a popular addition to Indian street foods. The best part is you can make this sauce with ingredients you already have on hand. It’s rich, flavorful and loaded with bold, spicy flavors. Moreover, you can customize it with the right amount of red chilies.
How To Make Indo-Chinese Schezwan Sauce
First, let’s talk about red chilies. To be exact, dried red chilies. You have two options here – regular or Kashmiri red chilies. I used regular red chilies, however, Kashmiri red chilies are the perfect choice if you are after less heat and vibrant color. To make this sauce, you"ll need to process the red chilies to a smooth paste. Make sure you soak the chilies in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften them for easy grinding.
Second, cook the sauce. Start with sauteing onions, and minced garlic and ginger. Once the onions are browned, add red chili paste, and cook for about 5 minutes. If the sauce is too dry, add more water to achieve the right consistency. To amp up the flavor, you’ll need to add a few authentic Chinese ingredients like soy sauce and rice vinegar. I also like to add some ketchup or tomato sauce to add another level of contrasting sweetness to the sauce.
Make sure you allow this schezwan sauce to cool down completely before storing in an airtight container. Store this in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Indo Chinese Schezwan Sauce | Video
Ingredients
- 20 dried red chilies regular or Kashmiri red chilies
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic garlic paste
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ketchup tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak red chilies in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain. Place
red chilies in a food processor. Add a little water and grind to a smooth paste. Add tomato paste. Grind again. Set aside. - Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add ginger, garlic and shallots. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are browned.
- Add chili paste. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally,
for 5 minutes. Add water if needed. - Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup (tomato paste) and
ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2 minutes. - Remove from heat. Cool down completely.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2
weeks.
Video
Notes
- This sauce makes for the perfect addition to stir fries or
any other dishes to level up the heat and flavor. - Use this sauce as a dip or sandwich spread.
Nutrition
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