Soy sauce, both savoury and sweet, is always to hand in my kitchen cupboard. I also always keep one or other Asian vinegar or sake, or both, and the twin brothers of basic Chinese spicing, garlic and ginger, are a must as well. The preceding ingredients are the core ingredients of many Asian condiments and sauces, and you can mix your own easily, in minutes.

I always include oil of some kind, and this time I included some Banhoek chilli oil, a quality ingredient that has become another staple. And a bit of zest from the inclusion of a lime, now in season, never goes amiss.

(Makes enough for a batch of braai meat for 4)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp Banhoek chilli oil

2 Tbsp Indonesian sweet soy sauce (such as kecap manis)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp dried galangal powder (or use ginger)

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Method

Mix the ingredients together and douse your chicken or pork in it. Marinate for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight. Cook chicken for about 30 minutes over hot coals, turning often. Cook pork chops higher above the coals, slowly, until tender and golden. DM/TGIFood

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