Hi Group,
I have been questing for a long time to create an acceptable copy of the UK 
restaurant or carry out version of sweet and sour sauce, you know the one 
all the TV Chinese chefs describe as a "sickly hideously sweet red sauce" 
well I'm sorry Ken, Martin & Co but that's the one that most UK punters want 
and is the reason a lot of you guys have those nice cars and things. HMMM! 
have I touched on the real reason you can't get the recipe??? Anyway, I know 
it's plum sauce based and I use Chinese mixed pickle in mine (home made) Am 
I close? I have lost count of how many "add a table spoon of vinegar to 
sugar and tomato sauce recipes there are out there but it isn't even close, 
TIA, David

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 10:24:02 GMT, "Davy"  wrote:

| Hi Group,
| I have been questing for a long time to create an acceptable copy of the UK 
| restaurant or carry out version of sweet and sour sauce, you know the one 
| all the TV Chinese chefs describe as a "sickly hideously sweet red sauce" 
| well I'm sorry Ken, Martin & Co but that's the one that most UK punters want 
| and is the reason a lot of you guys have those nice cars and things. HMMM! 
| have I touched on the real reason you can't get the recipe??? Anyway, I know 
| it's plum sauce based and I use Chinese mixed pickle in mine (home made) Am 
| I close? I have lost count of how many "add a table spoon of vinegar to 
| sugar and tomato sauce recipes there are out there but it isn't even close, 

There are a million versions of Sweet and Sour Sauce. Basically the sweet
is sugar, and the sour is vinegar, but that does not taste very nice :-(

You can start with many sources of sugars, and vinegars, and add many
things to make it taste nice, as do the commercial manufacturers.

Why not go to all the local supermarkets,  and try every packet you can
find?  That would give me a very wide choice.   If you are near a Chinatown
try there, the Chinese Supermarkets are IME great.

I am now onto Lemon sweet and sour from our local takeaway, Mmmmmm

-- 
Dave Fawthrop <dave hyphenologist co uk>
The London suicide bombers killed innocent commuters.
Animal rights terrorists and activists kill innocent patients.

"Dave Fawthrop" <invalid@hyphenologist.co.uk.invalid> wrote in message
news:qcn7j19ci1h8qgjdoj7q9lnslaujd96oep@4ax.com...

> On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 10:24:02 GMT, "Davy"  wrote:
>
> | Hi Group,
> | I have been questing for a long time to create an acceptable copy of the
UK
> | restaurant or carry out version of sweet and sour sauce, you know the
one
> | all the TV Chinese chefs describe as a "sickly hideously sweet red
sauce"
> | well I'm sorry Ken, Martin & Co but that's the one that most UK punters
want
> | and is the reason a lot of you guys have those nice cars and things.
HMMM!
> | have I touched on the real reason you can't get the recipe???


It's been many years since i worked in a TA but... the recipe varies from
place to place. All i can say is the gloopy texture & consistency of the
sauce is made with cornflour & water or sometimes potato flour/cornflour &
water. As for the nice cars & things... it's called hard work, sleeping on
your feet, being covered in a mist of cooking oil everyday & not having much
of a family life or social life. That's why it's always a family run
business, keeping it within the family & saving enough for that new lexus or
benz before uncle spends it all in the casino or horses! I still have a few
friends in the catering trade, they encourage... Encourage? No they
Insists!! that their kids do not end up in the catering trade, all of them
are now in universities. But fear not... we have lots of our *brothers &
sisters* coming over from the mainland who will continue to cook & serve you
; )


> | Anyway, I know
> | it's plum sauce based and I use Chinese mixed pickle in mine (home made)
Am
> | I close? I have lost count of how many "add a table spoon of vinegar to
> | sugar and tomato sauce recipes there are out there but it isn't even
close,
>
> There are a million versions of Sweet and Sour Sauce. Basically the sweet
> is sugar, and the sour is vinegar, but that does not taste very nice :-(
>
> You can start with many sources of sugars, and vinegars, and add many
> things to make it taste nice, as do the commercial manufacturers.


The method i use at home if & when i want sweet & sour sauce (which is very
rarely) is to heat up my wok with oil till smoking, then i pour in lots of
tomato ketchup & caramelise it before working it to a sauce by adding
onions, vegs., water etc. Ketchup is basically sugar, vinegar & other
ingredients, which when caramelised smells good & the taste will most
probably pop your socks! it is strong... hence i begin to water it out. This
was how some people made it years ago before the commercial stuff you can
buy by the gallons in all good Chinese supermarkets & Cash & Carry places.
Have a look at any Chinese supermarkets/Cash&Carry & you'll find that apart
from soy sauce that are sold in huge containers, tomato sauce, vinegar & HP
sauce/Lea & Perrins are also sold in large containers or drums. I think
that's a bit of a clue. You can of course add plum sauce, mixed pickle etc..
whatever takes your fancy to give it an extra kick.

DC.

Thanks for your input folks. I know how hard it is in the Chinese 
restaurant/carryout business, anyone can see how many hours the owners put 
in. I run my own business and a local Chinese Restaurant owner and myself 
often share the local market views. I also used to be in the Pub Trade so I 
know no social life and long hours.  It's the TV chefs/authors that get me 
when they criticise this type of sauce knowing full well the country runs on 
it. If they don't want to give up the recipe just say so and don't keep 
knocking what the majority of  uk food outlets are producing it.
"DC."  wrote in message 
news:OJCdnfQFpu2sYa7enZ2dnUVZ8qGdnZ2d@pipex.net...

> "Dave Fawthrop" <invalid@hyphenologist.co.uk.invalid> wrote in message
> news:qcn7j19ci1h8qgjdoj7q9lnslaujd96oep@4ax.com...
>> On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 10:24:02 GMT, "Davy"  wrote:
>>
>> | Hi Group,
>> | I have been questing for a long time to create an acceptable copy of 
>> the
> UK
>> | restaurant or carry out version of sweet and sour sauce, you know the
> one
>> | all the TV Chinese chefs describe as a "sickly hideously sweet red
> sauce"
>> | well I'm sorry Ken, Martin & Co but that's the one that most UK punters
> want
>> | and is the reason a lot of you guys have those nice cars and things.
> HMMM!
>> | have I touched on the real reason you can't get the recipe???
>
> It's been many years since i worked in a TA but... the recipe varies from
> place to place. All i can say is the gloopy texture & consistency of the
> sauce is made with cornflour & water or sometimes potato flour/cornflour &
> water. As for the nice cars & things... it's called hard work, sleeping on
> your feet, being covered in a mist of cooking oil everyday & not having 
> much
> of a family life or social life. That's why it's always a family run
> business, keeping it within the family & saving enough for that new lexus 
> or
> benz before uncle spends it all in the casino or horses! I still have a 
> few
> friends in the catering trade, they encourage... Encourage? No they
> Insists!! that their kids do not end up in the catering trade, all of them
> are now in universities. But fear not... we have lots of our *brothers &
> sisters* coming over from the mainland who will continue to cook & serve 
> you
> ; )
>
>> | Anyway, I know
>> | it's plum sauce based and I use Chinese mixed pickle in mine (home 
>> made)
> Am
>> | I close? I have lost count of how many "add a table spoon of vinegar to
>> | sugar and tomato sauce recipes there are out there but it isn't even
> close,
>>
>> There are a million versions of Sweet and Sour Sauce. Basically the sweet
>> is sugar, and the sour is vinegar, but that does not taste very nice :-(
>>
>> You can start with many sources of sugars, and vinegars, and add many
>> things to make it taste nice, as do the commercial manufacturers.
>
> The method i use at home if & when i want sweet & sour sauce (which is 
> very
> rarely) is to heat up my wok with oil till smoking, then i pour in lots of
> tomato ketchup & caramelise it before working it to a sauce by adding
> onions, vegs., water etc. Ketchup is basically sugar, vinegar & other
> ingredients, which when caramelised smells good & the taste will most
> probably pop your socks! it is strong... hence i begin to water it out. 
> This
> was how some people made it years ago before the commercial stuff you can
> buy by the gallons in all good Chinese supermarkets & Cash & Carry places.
> Have a look at any Chinese supermarkets/Cash&Carry & you'll find that 
> apart
> from soy sauce that are sold in huge containers, tomato sauce, vinegar & 
> HP
> sauce/Lea & Perrins are also sold in large containers or drums. I think
> that's a bit of a clue. You can of course add plum sauce, mixed pickle 
> etc..
> whatever takes your fancy to give it an extra kick.
>
> DC.
>
>
> 

"Davy"  wrote in message
news:Y9bZe.67663$E8.22802@fe06.news.easynews.com...

> Thanks for your input folks. I know how hard it is in the Chinese
> restaurant/carryout business, anyone can see how many hours the owners put
> in. I run my own business and a local Chinese Restaurant owner and myself
> often share the local market views. I also used to be in the Pub Trade so
I
> know no social life and long hours.  It's the TV chefs/authors that get me
> when they criticise this type of sauce knowing full well the country runs
on
> it. If they don't want to give up the recipe just say so and don't keep
> knocking what the majority of  uk food outlets are producing it.


i don't think it's a case of not wanting to give out the recipe, it's just
that there's quite a few ways to make it, each chef/restaurant might have a
slightly different method. Probably each trying to better it or make the
sauce unique etc. that's just my opinion. As they say, many ways to skin a
cat ; )

in your OP, you said you're after the standard s&s sauce... well i'm no
expert but i reckon it's down to 2 things, the taste/flavour & the
gloopyness of the sauce. Personally... i can't stand the sauce, the clear
almost transparent gloopyness just shouts cornflour/potato flour thickner to
me! i prefer working with the concentrated flavours then watering it up a
little with water or a light stock for a more natural approach but that's
just me. Maybe your local Chinese rest. owner friend can give you some
helpful hints ; )

DC.

"Davy"  wrote in message
news:6JQYe.25053$1v5.22734@fe03.news.easynews.com...

> Hi Group,
> I have been questing for a long time to create an acceptable copy of the
UK
> restaurant or carry out version of sweet and sour sauce, you know the one
> all the TV Chinese chefs describe as a "sickly hideously sweet red sauce"
> well I'm sorry Ken, Martin & Co but that's the one that most UK punters
want
> and is the reason a lot of you guys have those nice cars and things. HMMM!
> have I touched on the real reason you can't get the recipe??? Anyway, I
know
> it's plum sauce based and I use Chinese mixed pickle in mine (home made)
Am
> I close? I have lost count of how many "add a table spoon of vinegar to
> sugar and tomato sauce recipes there are out there but it isn't even
close,
> TIA, David
>
>

This is a recipe I have from a book "Chinese Cookery Secrets - How to cook
Chinese Restaurant food at Home".  I've not tried it so can't confirm if
it's "the one".  Here you go - I've taken out the various solid ingredients
as these change for every different dish, pineapple and water chestnuts in
one, onion & carrot in another and so on, so this is just the basic S&S
sauce.

2 tblsp soft brown sugar
3 tblsp rice vinegar
1 tblsp light soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon tomato sauce or puree
4 tblsp stock or water
2 teaspoons thin cornflour paste ( 1 part cornflour to 2 parts water)

Basically chuck everything in other than the cornflour paste, bring to the
boil and then thicken the sauce with the cornflour paste.

Let me know how it turns out if you decide to give this a try.

Jo

"Davy"  wrote in message 
news:6JQYe.25053$1v5.22734@fe03.news.easynews.com...

> Hi Group,
> I have been questing for a long time to create an acceptable copy of the 
> UK restaurant or carry out version of sweet and sour sauce, you know the 
> one all the TV Chinese chefs describe as a "sickly hideously sweet red 
> sauce" well I'm sorry Ken, Martin & Co but that's the one that most UK 
> punters want and is the reason a lot of you guys have those nice cars and 
> things. HMMM! have I touched on the real reason you can't get the 
> recipe??? Anyway, I know it's plum sauce based and I use Chinese mixed 
> pickle in mine (home made) Am I close? I have lost count of how many "add 
> a table spoon of vinegar to sugar and tomato sauce recipes there are out 
> there but it isn't even close, TIA, David
>



When I was young I tried replicating our local Chinese S&S I was pretty 
close just using redcurrant jelly/jam and white vinegar.


Trebor.