In the early 1990’s our Aussie hippie household went through a phase of putting sweet chilli sauce on everything, from baked potatoes, to Mexican food, spaghetti and hot chips, you name it sweet chilli was the condiment of the decade, well until we found out it was filled with sugar…
And unfortunately most store bought versions are often still filled with refined sugar and are most likely imported. Here at Kitchen of Jules we’re all about trying to reduce waste and lower our impact on the planet as much as we can, so we thought why not make our own healthier version of this classic.
This recipe uses rice syrup as a sweetener along with locally grown ingredients that are all readily available.
It’s super easy
Tangy
Subtly sweet
Spicy but not too hot (can easily be made hotter!!)
Tasty
Zingy
Vegan
Gluten free
Immune boosting
And good for you too.
What are some of the health benefits of chili?
~Chili (Capsicum frutescens) contains Capsaicin which has anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
~Capsaicin has been extensively researched and has shown to have numerous health benefits from reducing pain, to improving cardiovascular health, to boosting immunity and can even help with weight loss due to its thermogenic effects.
~The nutrient profile of chili includes a decent amount of Vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin E and Vitamin C, which are all great antioxidants and immune boosting compounds.
Also this sauce has the addition of ginger and garlic which both do wonders for our overall health, immune system and also help reduce inflammation.
We all need a little extra spice in our life and for good reason.
Low waste tips for the recipe
Buy Australian grown (or local to where you are) red chillies, ginger and garlic where possible.
Rice syrup, you can purchase in bulk and Australian made or at least in glass from your health food store. Some is imported unfortunately.
Apple cider vinegar, you can purchase from most bulk food stores and bring your own bottle for refilling or purchase from your health food store. Look for locally made brands.
A few notes on the recipe
**Caution**, make sure to wear gloves when chopping the Chillies, maybe even eye protection if you’re sensitive, as they can burn your skin. I experienced this first hand, trust me, wear the gloves (you can wear natural rubber gloves or there are biodegradable single use gloves available).
Also note that if you remove a lot of the seeds it will be much less spicy, and if you like it hot! Don’t remove any of the seeds.
Here is the recipe
I’d love to hear your thoughts
Healthy Sweet Chilli Sauce
Ingredients
- 8-10 Long red chillies halved length ways
- 4 Cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp Ginger peeled and finely grated
- ¾ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 250ml Rice Syrup
- ¼ cup Water
Instructions
- Finely cut the chillies, and remove about half of the seeds.Place the chillies, garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar and rice malt syrup into a saucepan. Add around a 1/4 cup of water and simmer on low heat. Stir occassionally for around 30mins or until reduced and thickened.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a sterilised jar. Set aside to cool.
- Store in the fridge for a few weeks or more.
