Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 red jalapeno chili peppers
• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 14 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 

Preparation

1. Peel garlic cloves and de-seed peppers.
2. In the blender, purée together all the ingredients, except cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the water.
3. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture thickens, and the garlic and pepper begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
5. Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry.
6. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer one more minute.
7. Let cool completely before storing in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Helpful hints

• Most comparable bottled sauces contain 400 mg sodium for a 2 tablespoon serving.
• Use Serrano or other chili pepper variety of choice. Skip de-seeding for more heat.
• The cornstarch will help the sauce to thicken slightly, causing nice suspension of the garlic-pepper bits; otherwise, you get a thin sauce with all the little pieces floating on the surface.