Sweet Chili Sauce Cook Off

A selection of peppers to be used in a sweet chilli sauce

A selection of peppers to be used for sweet chilli sauces

This past Saturday, I was invited to help cook up some sweet chili sauce with a wonderful group of ladies from the  Michael Oak Waldorf School in Kenilworth. It was a great honor to be included to create a sauce destined to be sold at the school fair.

 

Chopping up a storm

Chopping up a storm

All smiles as the last of the chillies are chopped

All smiles as the last of the chilies are chopped

Our host and my most favorite vegetable gardener, Natalie, decided that she wanted a clear rather than cloudy chili sauce so after much research, she decided on trying two very different recipes. One from Nigella Lawson that used sweet peppers with some dry chili peppers(Natalie has a jar full) and the second one was my recipe that initially used cornflour (cornstarch) to thicken the sauce but we changed to using pectin to give the sweet yet spicy treat a clear and bright look.

some of the ingredients for the sweet chilli sauce

some of the ingredients for the sweet chili sauce

After cooking up both sauces, we liked both but decided that the colour and brightness of my recipe was our favorite. We used an excess of jalapeno peppers that I had grown in my garden and had frozen to use one day. So the day did come and the outcome was a big success. It is nice to know that these chilies can be frozen until they are needed.

A precise job of pouring and storing the sweet chilli sauce

A precise job of pouring and storing the sweet chili sauce

A job well done of sterilizing and filling the many jars with the sweet chilli sauce

A job well done of sterilizing and filling the many jars with the sweet chili sauce

Jars at rest before being stored

Jars at rest before being stored

Finished version of sweet chillie sauce made from Jalapeno peppers

Finished version of sweet chili sauce with cornflour

Sweet Chili Sauce Cook Off
Recipe Type: sauce, condiment
Cuisine: South African
Author: Mary
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 350ml
I started growing chilies in my garden so after drying a jar full and using some in recipes, i realized that making my own sweet chilli sauce was the perfect solution to excessive chillies.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (250ml) sugar
  • 1 cup (250 ml) water
  • 3/4 cup, seeded red jalapeño chilies, chopped in a food processor. The red chili juice adds to the color of the sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup (60ml) cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons apple pectine
  • 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid(vitamin C)
Instructions
  1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan.
  2. Reduce heat, bring liquid to a simmer and add the chilies, garlic, salt and vinegar,
  3. Cook over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Mix in pectine and ascorbic acid
  5. Continue simmering and allow to thicken slightly.
  6. Let cool then pour into a sterilized jar.
  7. To sterilize jars, clean in dishwasher and then heat bottles in microwave for 10 minutes.
  8. Remember not to place fingers inside the jar and to use protection when picking up the hot jars.

Once the sauce was jarred and put away for the sale in October, Natalie’s chickens were eager to devour any of the chili leftovers. Thank you To Georgie for keeping the chickens so happy.

Spicy treats for the chickens

Spicy treats for the chickens

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