Danny Kay's Sweet and Sour Sauce

This is from a recipe I found in one of Craig Claibourne's cookbooks. It's my favorite sweet and sour sauce, which I sometimes use as is, sometimes add ingredients too. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add more cornstarch. If you prefer a darker red sauce, add more red food coloring. You can also add ketchup but it will change the flavor. It's a nice, light sauce.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Yields: 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 3⁄4 cup white vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup water, plus
• 2  tablespoons water
• 3⁄4 cup  pineapple juice
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  red food coloring

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, 1/2 cup water and pineapple juice. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring, until sugar dissolves.
2. Blend the cornstarch with the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Bring the pineapple juice mixture to the boil again, and stir the cornstarch mixture into the sauce, stirring a few moments until thickened.
3. Stir in the food coloring, remove from the heat, and serve as is as a dipping sauce (either warm or at room temperature) or use in a sweet and sour recipe for stir frying.