Sweet, Salty, and Sour Marinade

Name: Sweet, Salty, and Sour Marinade
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
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

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

Published October 4, 2025

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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.
Stir palm sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
5 min
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.
Remove pork or seafood from marinade, pat dry, and grill.
15 min
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