Napa slaw with shrimp

The red menace. That is not catsup. It is a magical combination of unlikely ingredients. I do not know why it is red. I haven't looked into that. It comes from Sriracha sauce, a famous chile condiment known the world over, that is probably where the red comes from, red Thai chiles, not tomatoes. 

And of course we know Thai chiles originated in South America but we do not quibble about that because Thailand does impart its own unique terroir that South America cannot.

For the menacing red sauce, in a small bowl add 

* brown sugar with enough 

* rice vinegar to dissolve. 

* Sriracha sauce to your hearts contentment. Then a small amount of

* corn starch, say about 1/2 teaspoon, and enough 

* water to create a very loose mixture. This thickens considerably once it reaches boiling point by 

* pulses in the microwave. From there the mixture continues to absorb water. Additional 

* water can be added directly from the tap.

This small amount of red sauce was diluted from the tap three times after the mixture was already cooked and thickened in the microwave. Again, the microwave takes only about 30 seconds in pulses.