Ingredients

1. Oil – 8 to 10 tbsp
2. Kashmir chillies – 15
3. Onion – 1 or 1/2 cup
4. Garlic – 7
5. Ginger – 1 tbsp
6. Rice Vinegar – 4 tbsp
7. Soya sauce – 2 tsp
8. Chilli flakes – 1/2 tsp
9. Tomato ketchup – 2 1/2 tbsp
10. Chilli garlic sauce – 2 tbsp
11. White pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
12. Sugar – 1 tsp
13. Water – 2/3 cup

Method

Chilli paste

1. Soak Kashmir chillies in hot water for 1hr or more.
2. Add the soaked chillies and 1tbsp water, grind it to a paste. Keep it ready.
3. Chop onion, garlic, ginger finely and keep it ready.

Szechuan sauce

4. Preheat the vessel with oil, when hot add onion sauté for 3 to 4 min, till soft not brown.
5. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 2min on medium flame.
6. Add chilli paste, sauté for 4min, add water mix well and cook for 5 to 6 min or until its rawness disappears on medium flame and all the water is absorbed and starts leaving oil lightly.
7. Add all the remaining ingredients and water 1/2 cup again and cook for 4 to 5min on medium flame, keep stirring in between. If it starts sputtering, keep the flame low, in between.
8. You can see, the sauce starts getting thick and starts leaving oil.
9. Simmer the flame, cook by closing the lid for 8 to 10 min, in between stir the sauce. Cook until it is as per your consistency and taste.
10. Allow it to cool, and store in a airtight bottle.
11. Serve as a dipping sauce or for cooking Szechuan recipes.

Notes

1. You can add more sugar, rice vinegar and tomato ketchup for more sweetness and to reduce spiciness and prepare the Szechuan sauce as per your consistency.
2. You can add more water, if the sauce becomes thick in between cooking.
3. You cook the Szechuan sauce till the chillies rawness has gone and it is cooked as per your taste and consistency.