As promised, this is the recipe of tướng ớt, literally spicy dipping sauce in Vietnamese. It’s ultra easy. This sauce is great for dipping and stir-frying. The last time I used this condiment was for my father-in-law’s favorite Asian dish, green beans and tofu stir fry.

It contains the bare minimum ingredients: something sweet, something savory and of course a ton of spiciness. This blend has a delicious garlic flavor.

Every year, my husband Lulu plants an incredible amount of all sorts of chiles. My parents-in-law loves extremely spicy food. Before I got married, I hated spicy food. To be honest, I could barely handle a dash of black pepper, let alone a jalapeno or heaven forbid a habanero. I guess marrying into an Indian family helped my taste buds. I’ve gotten better. I’m learning.

1. Info for Chili Garlic Sauce (Tuong Ot)

  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Servings: 1
  • Calories: 21kcal

2. Ingredients for Chili Garlic Sauce (Tuong Ot)

  • 15 whole fresh red chili peppers
  • 1 tsp grey salt
  • 8 tsp garlic , finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 Tbs sugar cane
  • 3 Tbs rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 2 Tbs water

3. Directions:

  1. Pick fully ripened extremely red in color chilis. Wash them. Pat dry them with a paper towel. Remove all stems then roughly slice all the chiles.
  2. Blend the chili peppers, salt, garlic, sugar and vinegar in a mini-prep with about 10 pulses.
  3. Dissolve the cornstarch in water.
  4. Transfer the chili mixture into a saucepan and bring to a a boil. Add the cornstarch liquid. Lower the heat to simmer for about 5-6 minutes. Stir constantly to make sure the cornstarch is properly absorbed.
  5. Place the cooked mixture in a small jar. Let it cool down to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.