Szechuan sauce

dishbyrish

Try adding this spicy sauce to all of your stir fries and marinades for an incredible fiery and flavourful result.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Chillies soaking time 30

Total Time 55

Course sauces

Cuisine Chinese, Indo-Chinese

Servings 10

30 dried chillies I use a mixture of facing heaven chillies and Kashmiri chillies
8 cloves garlic
4 shallots
1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns just the husks, discard the inner seeds
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp syrup of choice agave, maple or honey all work well
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp cornflour
4 tbsp water
3 tbsp neutral oil sunflower, vegetable or rapeseed

Start by soaking the dried chillies in boiling water for at least 30 minutes to soften and rehydrate
Drain the water and blitz the chillies in a food processor or blender into a paste. At this stage you can also remove the seeds with gloved hands to reduce the heat if desired
Toast the Szechuan peppercorn husks on low heat until fragrant – around 2 minutes. Then grind in a pestle and mortar or spice blender into a powder
I recommend sieving this powder to ensure no gritty pieces remain
Blitz the shallots and garlic in a food processor into a chunky paste
Sauté the shallot and onion mixture in oil over medium heat stirring continuously. After several minutes the mixture will dry out and turn 2 or 3 shades darker
Add the chilli paste and continue to cook for a further 3-4 minutes
Next add the ground peppercorn powder as well as the soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup and syrup and cook for a further minute
Mix together the water and cornflour until completely dissolved. Add to the pan and place on high heat. Stir continuously until the sauce begins to thicken slightly
Sauce is now ready to be used however desired

Keyword szechuan, szechuan peppercorns, Szechuan sauce