The secrets to Chinese cooking lie not in the “breath of the wok” or its dynasties-old recipes. No, I think it’s all about the convenient jars of sauces. Hiding in plain sight on grocery store shelves and the pantry of every household, they can transform any bland plate into a spellbindingly delicious concoction.
I still remember being younger, looking at my mum’s cabinet of condiments and thinking, “How can she tell any of them apart or remember what they are all used for?” Now I have many of these jars taking up way too much space in my fridge. Some mysteries remain, though. For example, hoisin sauce literally means seafood sauce, but it’s neither made from seafood nor used for seafood.
A spoonful or two can add much to the deep, complex flavours of stir-fried meats and vegetables. Best of all, nobody considers it cheating. Part of mastering Asian cooking is knowing how to use these instant flavour bombs.
Beyond Guangdong, other Chinese regions have their preferences, like Sichuan’s chilli oil and Chiu Chow’s . In Southeast Asia, fish sauce is the elixir of choice. You can actually make a proper char siu marinade from other sauces.
Simply combine some hoisin, red fermented bean curd, oyster sauce, soy sauce, a splash of Shaoxing wine, five spice powder, garlic, honey and brown sugar. That’s the true ragu to authentic char siu. Now I dare to use my Chinese jars of sauce in Western dishes too.
Recently, I made a Caesar salad dressing with dried shrimp past.