SCHEZWAN SAUCE

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Schezwan sauce is a spicy, tangy and flavourful Indo-Chinese sauce made with red chillies, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and aromatic seasonings. It has a bold, fiery taste with a slight sweetness. It is especially popular in Indo-Chinese cuisine for adding a hot and garlicky flavour to the dishes.

Schezwan sauce is commonly used in fried rice, noodles, stir-fry and wraps. It can also be served as a dipping sauce for snacks such as street-style momos, spring rolls and pakoras.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

The red chillies used for this recipe is often a mix of kashmiri red chillies and regular hot chillies. Kashmiri red chillies are used to give the bright red color to the recipe. Regular hot chillies gives a hot spicy flavour for this recipe.

The kashmiri red chillies and regular hot chillies are usually added in the ratio of 2:1. But, it can also be added in the ratio of 1:2. Adding them in the ratio of 1:2, reduces the spice level of the recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR SCHEZWAN SAUCE:

• REGULAR HOT RED CHILLIES – 100 GMS
• KASHMIRI RED CHILLIES – 50 GMS
• NEUTRAL OIL – 1~1.5 CUPS
• GARLIC (FINELY CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP
• GINGER (FINELY CHOPPED) – 1 TBSP
• SOY SAUCE – 2 TBSP
• KETCHUP – 2 TBSP
• VINEGAR – 1 TBSP
• SALT – 1 TSP
• SUGAR – 1 TSP

HOW TO MAKE SCHEZWAN SAUCE:

• Remove the stem of the dry red chillies.

• Add 100 gms of regular hot red chillies and 50 gms of kashmiri red chillies to a cooking pot and add around 1 litre of water to it.

• Place it over the stove, and turn ON the flame. Let it boil for about 12 to 15 minutes.

• After about 15 minutes, turn OFF the flame. Let it cool down completely.

• Once it cools down completely, filter the water, and transfer the boiled red chillies to a blender.

• Blend them to a fine paste. Add little water if required (retained from boiling the chillies).

• Heat a large cooking pot/kadai, and add 1 to 1.5 cups of any neutral oil to it. Maintain the flame at medium-low.

• Once the oil is heated, add the finely chopped ginger and garlic to it.

• Fry them for a minute, and then add the blended chilly paste to it. Do not let the the ginger and garlic turn brown.

• Mix it really well. Stir it continuously, and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes. The oil will be completely absorbed, and eventually will start to separate while cooking.

• Once the oil starts to separate, add 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of ketchup, 1 tbsp of vinegar, 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of sugar to it.

• Mix it really well. Stir continuously, and let it cook until the oil starts to separate.

• Once the oil starts to separate, cover and cook it until it thickens. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes on medium-low flame.

• After about 10 to 15 minutes, open the lid. The color would’ve darkened, and it will have a thick paste like consistency.
• At this stage, turn OFF the flame.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS SCHEZWAN SAUCE IS READY.

SERVE IT AS A DIPPING SAUCE, OR USE IT TO MAKE FRIED RICE, NOODLES AND STIR-FRIES.

I USED IT TO MAKE SCHEZWAN CHICKEN NOODLES.

VARIATION:

Kashmiri red chillies and regular hot red chillies can be added in the ratio of 1:2 or 2:1, depending on our preference.

PRO TIPS:

Prepare the sauce completely on medium-low flame. Cooking them on medium-high flame, might burn the chillies and spoils the taste and texture of the recipe.

NOTE:

Schezwan sauce can be stored in a clean and dry air tight container, at room temperature for about a week, and in the refrigerator for about 6 months. The oil added in this recipe acts as a natural preservative.