Copy Cat Chinese Take Out Red Sweet & Sour Sauce
I am a SUCKER for Chinese Take Out! Sweet & Sour Chicken and Crab Rangoons are forever my favorite carry out food! For YEARS I have been trying to find a recipe to copy the bright red, sweet, tangy, and irresistible sauce that comes with Sweet & Sour Chicken and for dipping appetizers in.
Well it FINALLY happened! I found one and after a few tweaks, am AMAZED how good & spot on it is. I never would have guessed that MARASCHINO CHERRY JUICE was the secret! Not only does it have the recognizable red color, it is sweet, slightly sour, and perfect to pair with popcorn chicken & steamed rice to make your own take out!
Oh, and don’t forget the egg rolls and crab rangoons (I cheat and buy them from the freezer section)
Pin HERE for later!
What you need:
- 1/2 c. white sugar
- 1/3 c. white vinegar
- 3/4 c. pineapple juice + about 1/2 c. of pineapple chunks from the can
- 1/2 c. Maraschino Cherry juice (drain from a can)
- 2 Tbsp. Ketchup
- 3 Tbsp. corn starch
- 1/4 c. water
Make it:
- Combine all ingredients EXCEPT pineapple chunks, corn starch & water.
- Bring to a boil over low heat
- Combine corn starch & water until smooth
- Once liquid is boiling, add corn starch and whisk until thickened.
- Remove from heat and add pineapple chunks.
- IF you wanted a less sweet sauce, add less sugar or more vinegar.
- You can adjust the thickness also by adding more corn starch and water, even after adding the first round. Just dissolve an additional TBSP of starch in water or pineapple juice. Reboil the sauce, and stir in until desired consistency.
Note: IF you can find Maraschino Syrup this will work also. Some large grocery chains carry in the ice cream sundae toppings area OR in the mixers area of the adult beverages department.
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