National Chilli Week - Sweet Chilli Sauce

Apparently, it's National Chilli Week from 26th November to 3 December 2007.

It's a bit of a coincidence really, 'cos on Saturday I experimented with making my own Sweet Chilli Sauce

I put about ½ cup sugar in a pan with ¼ cup water and ¼ cup vinegar. Added a finely chopped chilli and boiled for about 5 mins or so. This gave me a light dipping sauce with the chilli floating on top. I wanted the chilli mixed in the sauce, and slightly more heat, so thickened it with arrowroot and added, in the absence of another fresh chilli, a bit of chilli powder. I also added some paprika (about ¼ teaspoon) for colour.

The sauce is better than I expected – It's just like the stuff you buy.

The local Connection? Well, the chilli was grown about a mile from where I live, bought from the road-side stall near Croft Hill.