Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce adds a savory flavor to many dishes, making it a fantastic choice for many kinds of vegetables. The sauce is a kitchen pantry staple in family style Chinese cooking. It is often used in noodle dishes, such as Lo Mein and in savory dishes. Oyster sauce is a thick, brown sauce with a sweet, salty, and earthy flavor. Oyster sauce is a popular ingredient in Vietnamese, Thai, and Cantonese cuisine. This thick, savory sauce is full of "umami." Umami is described as another taste sensation in the mouth along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Umami might be described as an earthy taste. I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

 2 ½ ounces dried shiitake mushrooms (slices or pieces work best)

1 quart boiling water

2 Tablespoons brown miso (you can substitute any miso available)
1 – 3 Tablespoons date puree or agave (*see note below)
1 Tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon of water

The Night Before:

Place dried shiitake’s in a large bowl or container. Pour the boiling water over them and make sure they are submerged. Cover and let sit overnight or at least 8 hours.

 The next day, strain mushroom liquid into medium sauce pan. Reserve hydrated shiitake’s to use for dumpling filling, stir fry or soup. Bring mushroom liquid to a boil and reduce until only ½ cup remains. Keep an eye on it and check frequently by measuring the amount of liquid left once it has reduced by about 75%.

Pour reduction into bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, except the cornstarch slurry) Pour your oyster sauce into a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer 2 or 3 minutes to marry flavors. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry a few drops at a time. You probably will not need to use all of it to thicken the oyster sauce. Let mixture come to a simmer, stirring well with the whisk, and continue to cook until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove to cool and pour into container. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Date Puree:

I make the date puree by soaking dates in a glass jar overnight with enough water to cover. The next day, I puree the dates and liquid in blender, adding a little more water at a time, until I have a thick, sweet paste. I keep it stored in the refrigerator in the glass jar. You may use your own date syrup or agave, adding it 1 Tablespoon at a time to oyster sauce until you have a balanced, salty and slightly sweetened taste.

 

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce adds a complexity and depth of flavor to many Asian recipes, especially those of Thailand, Vietnam and Korea. Most familiar, it is an ingredient used in making Peanut Sauce, served with many Thai dishes. It has a deep, briny taste of the ocean and conventionally, it is made with anchovies, water and salt. Here is a recipe to prepare a variation with a great depth and briny taste that is vegan and gluten free. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

 

1 1/2 cups wakeme seaweed, shredded works best

6 cups water

6 large cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tablespoon black peppercorns

1 cup gluten free soy sauce

1 Tablespoon brown or red miso

Small square of cheesecloth and kitchen twine

Place the garlic and peppercorns in a small piece of cheesecloth or a tea strainer and seal to make a little package. Put the wakeme, spice package and water in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 to 30 minutes. Strain well, pressing all liquid out of seaweed, and return the liquid back to the sauce pan. Reserve the wakeme for a seaweed salad or other recipes if desired. Add the soy sauce, bring back to a boil and cook until mixture is reduced and very salty. Remove from heat and whisk in the miso.

Yields about 2 cups

Refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to one week.

 

Hoisin Sauce

Often referred to as Chinese Barbecue Sauce, hoisin sauce is a thick, dark brownish-red sauce with a mildly sweet and salty taste. It is commonly used as a condiment and spread on wrappers for Moo Shu or classically with Peking duck. I use this hoisin sauce combined with a few other ingredients to make my Char Sui, or barbecue sauce, as a great dipping sauce, a glaze for roasted or grilled vegetables as an addition to my Asian vinaigrette or as an ingredient in Asian marinades. One of the most versatile sauces, which makes it one of my Four Chinese Master Sauces. I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon (scant) organic ketchup

3 Tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar

¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon granulated garlic

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon five spice powder

Pinch white pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon water

Blend all ingredients and bring to gentle simmer. Continue to simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue to cook about 1 or 2 minutes until fully thickened. Pour into container and store covered in the refrigerator.

 

Sweet Ginger Chili Garlic Sauce

Sweet Ginger Chili Garlic Sauce

I enjoy creating recipes with more than one purpose and this sauce recipe reflects that. A versatile sauce that is great as a dipping sauce or toss with fresh vegetables. Lively, assertive, sweet, tangy and spicy, this sauce is a gorgeous shade of orange, very pleasing to both the eye and the palate. One of the simplest sauces to prepare that takes minutes to prepare. I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

3 large (1 ounce) garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1/2 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar (I used organic cane sugar)

1" piece  (9 grams) fresh ginger, skin removed

1 ounce Red Thai chilies, fresh, chopped

2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon of water

Puree the garlic, ginger, vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Wearing gloves, remove the top stem from the Thai chilies and chop into small pieces. The skin of this chili is a little tough so make sure your knife is sharp. Add the chilies to the garlic mixture and pulse until pureed and there are small specs of chilies left.

Pour the mixture into a small sauce pan and heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, until sauce is bubbling. Spoon the cornstarch into a small bowl and add the water, stirring well to blend. When the sauce is bubbling and while stirring, slowly pour in the mixture (called a slurry). Continue to stir the sauce for about 1 more minute or so. You want the cornstarch to come to its maximum thickening and also to cook the raw cornstarch flavor out. This does not take very long. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: 1 cup