Description
A flavorful and versatile Dragon Sauce combining soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chili paste, and sesame oil for a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. This easy-to-make sauce is ideal for drizzling over grilled meats, mixing into noodles, or serving as a dipping sauce for dumplings and spring rolls.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey or sugar (adjust for sweetness)
- 2 tablespoons chili paste or Sriracha (adjust for heat)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
Thickening (Optional)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Combine the Ingredients: In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or sugar, chili paste or Sriracha, sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Stir well to blend all the flavors together.
- Heat the Sauce: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Maintain the simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the flavors meld and the mixture heats evenly.
- Thicken the Sauce (Optional): If a thicker consistency is desired, prepare a slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Add this slurry to the saucepan and continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to your preference.
- Taste and Adjust: Remove the sauce from heat briefly to taste. Adjust sweetness by adding more honey or sugar, increase heat by adding more chili paste, or balance acidity by adding more rice vinegar according to your preference.
- Serve: Once the sauce reaches your desired consistency and flavor balance, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Use as a drizzle over grilled meats, mix into noodles for extra flavor, or serve as a dipping sauce with dumplings or spring rolls.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of chili paste or Sriracha to suit your preferred spice level.
- Use honey for a richer sweetness or sugar for a neutral sweetener.
- The cornstarch slurry is optional but recommended if you want a thicker sauce.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature depending on your use.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
