Chef John'S Thai-Style Sweet Chili Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons sambal chili sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 cloves finely crushed garlic
2 tablespoons finely minced Thai chili peppers (bird's eye peppers)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preparation

Place 1/2 cup cold fresh water and vinegar in a saucepan. Whisk in Asian fish sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sambal chili sauce, and cornstarch. Whisk until cornstarch disappears. Place over medium-high heat and bring up to a simmer stirring occasionally. As it bubbles, it will start to thicken up. Remove pan from heat.
Whisk garlic and chili into hot mixture. Add fresh lime juice; whisk again. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before checking for seasonings.
If not using immediately, transfer to a glass jar with a lid. Refrigerate.