Sweet, Salty, and Sour Marinade

A vibrant Thai-inspired marinade combining palm sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce with aromatic herbs and chiles. Perfect for marinating pork or seafood, this versatile sauce delivers a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and sour flavors.

4 servings
40 min

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces palm sugar
  • ½ cup fresh lime juice
  • ½ cup fish sauce
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
  • 4 whole red Thai chiles
  • 3 tablespoons lemongrass
  • Ingredient info

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Stir palm sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

    5 min

  2. 2.

    Combine lime juice, fish sauce, and 3 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1/3 cup palm sugar syrup (reserve remaining syrup for glaze). Stir in cilantro, ginger, chiles, and lemongrass. Put pork or seafood in a glass, stainless-steel, or ceramic dish. Toss with marinade. Cover; chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

    10 min

  3. 3.

    Remove pork or seafood from marinade, pat dry, and grill.

    15 min

  4. 4.

    Simmer marinade and reserved palm sugar syrup in a small saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup. Brush glaze onto meat or fish during the last few minutes of grilling.

    10 min

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