Sweet and Sour Sauce

Black rice vinegar adds something extra to this sweet and sour sauce recipe. Rice vinegar (also called rice wine vinegar) is a staple in Chinese and Asian cooking. But black rice vinegar plays a special role in Chinese cuisine, particularly in southern China. Some cooks routinely add a splash of Chenkiang black rice vinegar to all their stir-fries.

This recipe for sweet and sour sauce also calls for tomato paste, brown sugar, and a bit of chili paste for extra heat. If you like it, you’ll want to try my recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken, where the sauce is paired with deep-fried chicken cubes and stir-fried vegetables.