Tested and Perfected by Food and Wine
Food & Wine Recipe

Sweet-and-Spicy Marinade

Contributed by
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 15 MIN
  • SERVINGS: Makes 1 cup
  • •FAST
  • •MAKE-AHEAD

Bill Kim prefers using frozen lemongrass to fresh here because he finds the flavor sweeter than fresh. The fragrant marinade is especially nice with chicken, but also works with lean pork.

  1. 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
  2. 2 tablespoons snipped chives
  3. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
  4. 1 large stalk frozen or fresh lemongrass—tender pale inner core only, minced
  5. 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  6. 1/2 cup Thai sweet chile sauce
  7. 3 tablespoons sambal oelek or other Asian chile sauce
  1. In a mini food processor, combine the garlic, chives, ginger, lemongrass and sesame oil and pulse until finely chopped. Add the sweet chile sauce and sambal oelek and pulse to blend. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.