What is the spicy sauce I had in China?

[Eileen101]

It was a spicy red colored sauce for dipping dumplings. Where can I buy it or how can I make it please?

As a side note, I had some really delicious food in Beijing, not the "takeaway" type food. Does anyone have any authentic recipes that aren't just ways of making 'fakeaways'?

I make it using half soy sauce and half vinegar. And add some chilli flakes or chilli oil. I make the oil by pouring hot oil into the chilli flakes - if i have time.

We loved the food in China and so much better than the English take away version. I love going to Chinese supermarkets and just buying a few jars and seeing how I can use them - got a healthy addiction to crispy chilli oil as a consequence (even great with poached eggs on toast). There are some fab online grocers too.
I like the dumpling sisters and Pippa middlehurst books - but I want to explore more.

Probably dipping sauce made with soy sauce, red rice vinegar & a couple of drops of sesame oil.
Or chili oil…
look on Pinterest - there are so many fabulous recipes for authentic foods there, and most ingredients can be sourced at Asian supermarkets

What kind of vinegar works best?

I was going to show you some examples but here is an article I like about types of rice vinegar - very simplified but hope it helps

thewoksoflife.com/rice-vinegar/

I love this website for recipes and have made this dipping sauce many times.

Fuchsia Dunlop writes amazing books about regional Chinese food.

You said it was a red sauce. The standard dumpling sauce would be a soy, vinegar (rice wine but I just use red wine or whatever I have around), sesame oil and sugar with some chillies. But it’s possible it was also a momo sauce. Look up red momo chutney and see if that’s more like what you had.

I use chinese black vinegar and light soy sauce

I shall forever be indebted to Fuschia for introducing me to fish fragrant aubergines and cold chilli chicken - both from Every Grain of Rice - hard recommend as fab cook book!