Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

I don't know about you , but I always remember sweet and sour sauce differently than what it is .  When I get it at a restaurant , take out , or out of a spice mix it is always WAY to sweet .  (My family agrees with me on this.)  On Monday I was trying to use up the rest of the cilantro that I had in the kitchen before it bit the dust and I didn't want to just use the same old kind of sauce that I usually do .  Don't get me wrong , I love the usual but I felt like a change .  I ended up throwing whatever I felt like together in a little pot while the rice cooked and ended up with a Sweet and Sour Sauce that is finally like I always remember it . . . except with cilantro and a bit of a kick.  You can tone down the heat , but I like that though!

You can also use this with anything you want . I used pork chops but you can use chicken , veggies , tofu etc.  

This might not be exact , because I wrote it down after-the-fact and I tend to not use measurements while I'm cooking , (NOT when baking , don't ever bake without measuring ! ) but it gives you the general idea .

1 tsp Sesame oil
1 1/2 cups Pineapple Juice
1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
1 tsp Cumin
2-3 tsp Sriracha ( I did 3 swirls into the pan)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Coriander
2 TBSP Hoisin Sauce
1 TBSP Oyster Sauce
1 TBSP Vietnamese Fish Sauce
1 TBSP Tamarind Concentrate
2 TBSP Lime Juice (half a lime if you are working with the fruit)
2-3 TBSP Soy Sauce
Fresh Minced Garlic
Cornstarch

Stir everything together while tasting it and making adjustment to your preference .  Then strain the sauce and add cornstarch to it to thicken it until it is you desired consistency .  If you are using vegetables in addition to meat , or simply cooking a large amount , I would double the recipe.  Put 1 tsp of sesame oil in the pan with a TBSP of butter or vegetable oil and cook whichever vehicle for the sauce that you have chosen .  In the end it will look something like this.

Enjoy !