Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Carbohydrate 10.1869555740359 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.129156221305652 g
- Fiber 0.952312474591296 g
- Protein 1.5926123414355 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0168281210166664 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (86g)
- Sodium 14.7629789283661 mg
- Sugar 9.23464309944456 g
- Trans Fat 0.0594712413576868 g
- Calories 44 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil.
- Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened.
Starch granules must disperse in cold liquid before heating, or the sauce will form persistent lumps. Cornstarch relies on thermal energy to hydrate and swell, a process called gelatinization. When combining white sugar, white vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup, and cornstarch in the saucepan while cold, the starch particles suspend evenly. Whisking continuously during the transition to a boil prevents the bottom of the pan from scorching before the entire volume reaches the threshold temperature of approximately 203 degrees Fahrenheit.
Acid breaks down starch polymers over prolonged heat exposure. White vinegar provides the sharp acidity characteristic of this condiment, but boiling an acidic starch mixture for too long thins the final viscosity. Remove the saucepan from the heat source immediately upon reaching a thick, glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. This preserves the gelling capacity of the cornstarch while cooking out the raw starch taste.
Commercial iterations often rely on modified starches or high-fructose corn syrup, but home preparation allows precise control over the sugar-to-acid ratio. For a deeper molasses profile, substitute dark brown sugar for up to half of the white sugar.
