I think it has the perfect level of heat! It's softened with the sugar, so it's really quite mild. If you're worried, you can take two chilies out and add one roughly chopped red pepper instead.

How long will the chili jam keep?

When stored in sterilized jars, chili jam will last for months at room temperature, unopened. Once you open it, store it in the fridge and it will still last for months. Just make sure you're always using a clean spoon when you're getting anything out of it to prevent cross-contamination.

Can I reduce the sugar in the chili jam?

This recipe actually doesn't use that much sugar for the quantity you end up with, but you can try to reduce the sugar if you like. Just be aware that the jam's consistency will change and won't be as sticky and 'jam-like' as you'd expect. This comes from sugar. It will be more liquidy and the sugar also helps the jam keep as long as it does.

Do I have to use fish sauce in the chili jam?

I definitely recommend using the fish sauce for the amazing depth of flavor you get from it, but if you really don't like it or are vegan, replace the fish sauce with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce/tamari and 1 tablespoon of lime juice.

Easy Sweet Chili Jam (30 Minutes)

Name: Easy Sweet Chili Jam (30 Minutes)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1 whole head of garlic, cloves peeled; 2 oz (60g) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (or use 2 tablespoons of crushed ginger/ginger paste); 6 long red chilies, de-seeded and roughly chopped (keep the seeds for a spicier jam); Zest of 2 limes; 2 ¼ cups (450g) superfine (caster) sugar; ½ cup rice vinegar; ⅓ cup water; 3 tablespoons of fish sauce (or vegan alternative); 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce (or tamari); Food processor, chopper, or blender; Glass jars to store

Description

This easy sweet chili jam recipe is one you NEED in your repertoire. It takes just 30 minutes, is sweet, spicy, and so versatile. Watch it spice up salads, sandwiches, and cheese boards, or use it as a dipping sauce. Plus, it keeps for months and makes a wonderful gift.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the sweet chili jam -

1 whole head of garlic, cloves peeled
2 oz (60g) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (or use 2 tablespoons of crushed ginger/ginger paste)
6 long red chilies, de-seeded and roughly chopped (keep the seeds for a spicier jam)
Zest of 2 limes
2 1/4 cups (450g) superfine (caster) sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons of fish sauce (or vegan alternative)
1 teaspoon of light soy sauce (or tamari)

Equipment -

Food processor, chopper, or blender
Glass jars to store

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Instructions

To sterilize your jars –

Wash your jars and lids with hot soapy water, then stand upright on an oven tray. Pop into the oven at 320°F (160°C) for 20 minutes, and that’s it, they’re ready to use! PRO TIP: Glass reacts to extreme temperature changes, so don’t add hot chili jam to a cold jar or the glass may shatter. Adding hot jam to warm jars will be fine. I like to sterilize my jars as the jam is simmering, and this works out well timing-wise.

For the chili jam –

Blitz the garlic, ginger, and chili. Add the peeled garlic cloves, roughly chopped ginger, and 6 de-seeded and chopped chillies into the bowl of a food processor. Blitz for 2 minutes, until a thick paste forms. You may need to scrape down the sides of your bowl a couple of times to make sure everything is mixing evenly.
Combine the garlic, ginger, and chili paste with the other ingredients. Add the chili, ginger, and garlic paste to a large pot and add the zest of 2 limes, 2 ¼ cups sugar, ½ cup rice vinegar, ⅓ cup water, 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce. Set the pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves (you’ll be able to feel this with your spoon – initially it will feel quite heavy and be harder to stir, and when the sugar dissolves, it’ll become more liquidy).
Simmer the chili jam. At this point, reduce the heat to medium-low and leave the jam to simmer for about 25 – 30 minutes. Check on the jam and stir it occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom and it’s cooking evenly. It will start bubbling up – this is what you want. You want the liquid to reduce by roughly a third so that the jam looks thick, sticky, and deeply red.
Transfer the jam into jars. Spoon the hot jam into the warm, sterilized jars, leaving around a little space at the top. Seal the jars with their lids. You can store the chili jam in the sterilized jars for months at room temperature, then store it in the fridge once you’ve opened it. REMINDER: Don’t spoon your hot jam into cold jars as the glass may shatter – if your jars are cold, leave the jam to cool on the stovetop for about 30 minutes, and then transfer it to the jars.

Notes

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Always use a clean spoon when getting jam from the jar. This will prevent cross-contamination and ensure the jam lasts longer. You can keep it in the fridge for months in this way after opening.

SUBSTITUTIONS: If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can switch out the fish sauce for an extra tablespoon of light soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of lime juice, or use a vegan alternative. For ease, I often use frozen chopped chilies – you can throw them straight into the pot (there’s no need to defrost).

I love making this chili jam as gifts for my friends over Christmas, and the holidays – the recipe is easily scaled, so you can make a big batch and prepare as many jars as you like. Just make sure you share storage instructions when you give the jars as gifts.

The recipe makes approximately 500ml of sweet chili jam (depending on how long you let it reduce!) While jar sizes vary wildly, I find this is usually enough to fill 1 medium jar (300ml to 400ml), with a little extra, or 2 smaller jars. If you want to be exact with it, just check the capacity of your jars, then divide the total yield (say 500ml), by that number.

I have a whole guide that shares more about how to sterilize jars if you’d like to explore that further.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 25
Category: sauces
Method: stove top
Cuisine: asian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 30g
Calories: 118
Sugar: 28g
Sodium: 172mg
Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Fiber: 0.25g
Protein: 0.6g
Cholesterol: 0mg