Thai Chicken Dipping Sauce

Inspired by a few different recipes (mostly Thai) for dipping sauces for chicken, this balances sweet, salty, umami, sour and spicy...  YUM!

(The photo is actually of Japanese Fried Chicken...)

Ingredients
3 T vinegar
3 T brown sugar
2 T shallots, minced
1 (sm) garlic clove, minced
2 T lime juice
¾ tsp fish sauce
1 Thai chili (birds eye chili), minced*
pinch white pepper

Directions
Combine everything in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to make sure sugar dissolves. Simmer gently 3-5 minutes -- just to infuse the flavors from the shallot and garlic. Cool. If desired, puree.


* To be honest, the first time I made this (during Covid-19 quarantine), I did not have a Thai chili and wasn't about to rush out to the grocery store for this one item. I used a squirt of Sriracha to add a spicy kick.