Oyster Sauce

OYSTER SAUCE http://www.foodsubs.com/CondimntAsia.html oyster sauce Notes: This Cantonese dipping sauce is both sweet and salty. Look for bottles of it in Asian markets and large supermarkets. Substitutes: Bring to a boil, then simmer in a covered pot for 30 minutes: 2 C fresh oysters + 3 C water + 1 C bottled clam juice + 1 teaspoon salt + 1 clove of garlic + white portion of 1 green onion + 1 slice of fresh ginger root, then add a mixture of 1/4 C soy sauce + 1 teaspoon sugar + 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 3 tablespoons water, and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, then strain out the solids in the sauce and discard. (adapted from a recipe in Jennifer Brennan's excellent book, The Cuisines of Asia. See my sources.) OR soy sauce

This very popular and versatile southern Chinese sauce is a thick, brown, richly flavored concoction and is one of the most ancient sauces in the culinary canon. Fresh oysters are boiled in large vats, the whole being seasoned with soy sauce, salt, spices, and seasonings and made into a viscous substance. The original version contained bits of dried fermented oysters, but these are no longer included. The salty taste of oyster sauce largely dissipates during the cooking process. It doesn't even taste 'fishy' after it has been cooked. But it retains its rich and distinctive savoury flavor that goes nicely with the preferred subtleties of southern Chinese cuisine. It also used as a condiment, diluted with little oil,for vegetables, poultry, and meats. It is a very popular southern Chinese sauce. Shopping tips It is usually sold in bottles and can bought in Chinese markets and some supermarkets. Search out the most expensive ones; they tend to be less salty, have more flavor, and contain less corn flour US cornstarch? - their higher quality is worth the price. Cheaper oyster sauces tend to have MSG,as well as other additives, to make up for the lack of oysters used. I have found two especially good brands from China and Hong Kong: Sa Cheng, labeled 'Oyster flavored Sauce from China', and the more widely available Hop Sing Lung's 'Oyster flavored Sauce'. Storage notes Oyster sauce is best kept in the refrigerator where it will last indefinitely. Useful hints Oyster sauce is delicious as a dipping sauce. Dilute it with a bit of water or oil. It can be used directly from the bottle over blanched vegetables. http://www.foodandrecipes.net/oystersauce.html

Dragonfly Vegetarian Oyster Sauce, 20 oz bottle $4.59 For the first time we are pleased to offer this premium quality vegetarian oyster sauce (also known as vegetarian stir fry sauce). Every other brand we see has a lot of MSG, but this has none. It's a tasty alternative for vegetarians who want authentic Asian stir-fry but don't want oyster sauce. This just arrived, fresh stock. Ingredients: water, oyster flavor, herbs, sugar, salt, corn starch, mushroom extract. No MSG added. Product of Thailand. http://importfood.com/sadf2001.html

Hi Elsa,

I can help with this question as I am a celiac also. The two best products I use are San-J organic Tamari sauce (I called the manufacturer to verify wheat free status), and Magi sauce. (The San-J company also makes a 'low sodium' version but it is NOT wheat free) I have only been able to find The San-J Tamari at my health food store. The Magi sauce is not the same taste as soy sauce and is used only for cooking. However it has a very delicious flavor in soups and stir frys. While I have not personally verified its safety, I have seen mention of it several times on the Celiac Listserve. I have never reacted to it. Another producer of wheat free soy sauce is Hunt-Wesson. They produce the La Choy brand soy sauce and their brochure states that it is Gluten Free. Should you wish to know of other safe foods, and get some recipes for breads, cookies, etc., then have a look at the website in the link below.

THE SAUCIER’S APPRENTICE Oyster sauce (or "oyster-flavored sauce") really is made from extracts of oysters, along with other ingredients. A Cantonese favorite in recipes or as a dipping sauce, this thick, rich brown sauce has the consistency of ketchup and a savory, "meaty" flavor. There are many brands available; generally, the cheaper ones are lesser grade. I’m currently using Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand; another good brand is Hop Sing Lung, which has a colorful picture of a flying dragon on its label. Oyster sauce should be stored in its bottle in the refrigerator, where it keeps indefinitely. Several companies in Singapore and Taiwan also produce vegetarian oyster-style sauce, which is made from mushrooms and does not contain oysters. These sauces are sometimes available in Asian markets, or you may be able to get them through a health food store. Brands differ considerably in flavor. I prefer a brand from Singapore, which unfortunately I couldn’t find last time I went shopping in Chinatown, and whose name I don’t remember. Oyster Sauce - The Cuisines of Asia: Nine Great Oriental Cuisines by Technique, by Jennifer Brennan NY: St. Martin’s / Marek, 1984 – Rantoul Public Library 641.595BRE The first Chinese to emigrate to the West in any large number came from the overcrowded city of Canto. Finding work within many of the major cities of the world, they settled in tightly knit groups and formed the Chinatowns. Restaurants were opened, serving Westernized versions of Chinese foods because only local ingredients were available. Gradually, authentic Chinese foods were imported, adding variety to the menus, but by then Occidentals were familiar with the ersatz versions of Chinese dishes and seldom requested any of the more authentic fare from the Kwantung province. Kwantung is the southernmost province of China. … Dishes are often sauced with thick but delicate sauces having cornstarch as the thickening agent. Vegetables are used in quantity, but meat, sparsely. … Fermented bean curd, oyster sauce (a viscous, dark-brown condiment fermented from oysters and soy sauce), salted black beans, rice-wine vinegar and ginger are the usual seasonings (Oyster sauce is found in many Cantonese stir-fry dishes. Refrigerated, this sauce will keep for several months) p. 146 – A dark brown sauce made from oysters and soy sauce used as a seasoning. It is available in bottles and cans. If you cannot find it, here is a recipe so that you can make your own. Yield: about 4 cups 2 cups (13 oz) of fresh oyster meat, washed and drained 3 cups of water 1 cup of bottled clam juice 1 teaspoon of salt 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 1 green onion, white portion only 1 slice of fresh ginger, 1/8-inch thick 1/4 cup of soy sauce 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 3 tablespoons water Place the oyster meat, the 3 cups of water, clam juice, salt, garlic, green onion and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. While the oysters are cooking, mix together the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. At the end of the cooking time After 30 minutes?, uncover the saucepan and gradually pour in the cornstarch mixture, stirring. Continue to simmer the mixture for 10 more minutes, stirring as it thickens slightly. Set a sieve over a large bowl and pour the oyster mixture through it, retaining the liquid and discarding the solids, including the oysters (all the goodness is cooked out of them). Pour into a jar or bottle, cap tightly and refrigerate. This sauce will keep for several months in the refrigerator. The sauce is used to season stir-fried dishes and also as a table sauce with meats. Oyster Sauce – chinesefooddiy.com http://www.chinesefooddiy.com/oyster_sauce.htm

(Oyster sauce is found in many Cantonese stir-fry dishes. Refrigerated, this sauce will keep for several months)

Yield: about 4 cups 2 cups of fresh oyster meat 3 cups of water 1 cup of bottled clam juice 1 teaspoon of salt 1 clove garlic 1 green onion, white portion only 1 slice of fresh ginger, 1/8-inch thick 1/4 cup of soy sauce 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch (corn flour) 3 tablespoons water Prepare meat and vegetables: Wash and drain the oyster meat, and peel and crush the ginger. In a saucepan, bring the oyster meat, water, clam juice, salt, garlic, green onion and ginger to a boil on medium-high heat. Adjust the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Mix together the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and 3 tablespoons of water. After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the saucepan and gradually add the cornstarch/sugar/soy mixture, stirring as you do so. Simmer for about another 10 minutes, stirring periodically. Set a strainer (sieve) over a large bowl and pour the oyster mixture through it, keeping the liquid and getting rid of the solids (this includes the cooked oysters). Refrigerate in a tightly sealed jar. Fermented Fish Sauce p. 157 NT – Makes about 2 cups (use this as inspiration for how to do oyster) 1 ½ pounds small fish, including heads, cut up 3 tbsp sea salt 2 cups filtered water 2 cloves garlic, mashed 2 bay leaves, crumbled 1 tsp peppercorns several pieces lemon rind 1 tbsp tamarind paste, optional 2 tbsp whey Toss fish pieces in salt and place in a wide-mouth quart-sized mason jar. Press down with a wooden pounder or meat hammer. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over fish. Add additional water to cover fish thoroughly. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for about 3 days. Transfer to refrigerator for several weeks. Drain liquid through a strainer and store fish sauce in the refrigerator. BRYANNA GROGAN’S NEW HOMEMADE CHINESE VEGETARIAN MUSHROOM “OYSTER” SAUCE (ALSO KNOWN AS “VEGETARIAN STIR-FRY SAUCE”) http://www.ellenskitchen.com/recipebox/glutchuck.html Makes 18 liquid oz., or about the same as a commercial bottle. I sent Bryanna a basic substitute, she sent back a great homemade recipe for this sometimes hard to find condiment. Chinese oyster sauce is a favorite flavoring, thick, rich-tasting, and slightly sweet. Bryanna says, "This recipe differs from the one in my Chinese cookbook in that you don’t need mushroom bouillon cubes, which are expensive and sometimes difficult to find. I wanted to make one that would be cheaper and would use easily available ingredients. You can find commercial vegetarian versions, made with mushrooms, in some Asian groceries and large supermarkets. Sometimes it is labeled "vegetarian oyster sauce" or "mushroom oyster sauce". It is also marketed as "vegetarian stir-fry sauce". It keeps for a long time in the refrigerator. However, it can be difficult for pople in some areas to find. ABOUT DRIED MUSHROOMS: For the dried mushrooms, you don’t need expensive shiitakes (unless that's all you can get)— just use the inexpensive dried Chinese mushrooms that are easily available. Snap off the stems and discard them, then grind the mushrooms to a powder in a DRY blender or coffee/spice grinder (well-cleaned). ABOUT CHINESE BROWN BEAN SAUCE: This is a very common Chinese ingredient and should be available wherever Chinese foods are sold. It is also known as “brown bean paste”, “yellow bean paste or sauce", “soybean condiment”, “Yuan Shai Shih” or “Mo Yuen Shih”. If, however, you can’t find it, substitute a mild brown miso, mixed with a bit of water to make a softer mixture, sort of halfway between a sauce and a paste. 1 1/2 cups boiling water 6 tablespoons ground dried Chinese mushroom (see note above) OR wild mushroom powder 6 tablespoons Chinese brown bean sauce (see note above for alternate names and substitute) 6 tablespoons soy sauce Ellen's note: I used reduced sodium soy sauce scant 1/2 cup dark unbleached or brown sugar, or Sucanat 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water Blend all the ingredients EXCEPT the dissolved cornstarch in a blender (leave the plastic thing out of the center hole in the blender lid and cover with a folded towel, so that the hot liquid doesn’t explode) until as smooth as possible. Pour into in a medium saucepan and heat to boiling over high heat. Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened. Cool and store in a covered jar or bottle in the refrigerator. Since it is quite salty and sweet, it should keep for several months. Microwave: You can microwave the mixture, with the cornstarch, in a medium bowl and cook on HIGH for 1 minute, then whisk. Repeat until thickened. Vegetarian Stir Fry Oyster Sauce – Vegan-Food.net http://www.vegan-food.net/index.cgi?966 1 mushroom broth cube 1/2 cup boiling water 2 T brown bean sauce 1 generous T dark unbleached sugar 1 t cornstarch dissolved in 1 t cold water Dissolve the broth cube in the boiling water. Mix with the brown bean sauce and sugar, and heat to boiling. Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened. Cool and store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa021201e.htm Oyster sauce is a combination of oysters, soy sauce, salty brine, and various seasonings (usually garlic, ginger, sugar, and leeks). It is used in many Chinese recipes. http://www.bhg.com.au/food.nsf/Content/What+food+is+that+-+Oyster+Sauce+-+hfffe0372 Oyster Sauce A thick, dark brown sauce originally made from oysters fermented in brine and then ground to a paste, but now usually thickened with cornflour (cornstarch) and darkened with caramel colouring. It has a strong, salty, slightly fishy flavour and is used as an all-purpose seasoning in Chinese cooking, especially stir-fries and braised dishes. It is a popular dressing on steamed Chinese vegetables, and is often used with other sauces, particularly soy. Oyster sauce originated in Canton (now Guangzhou), a seaport in south-eastern China and was traded far inland, taking the taste of the sea to towns far from the coast. It is available in bottles, jars and cans (transfer to glass jar after opening). Emperor Brand Premium Oyster Flavored Sauce: Oyster Extractives, Sugar, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Caramel, Soy Sauce (Soy Bean, Salt, Water) Rhee Bros., Inc. (410) 381-9000 http://www.rheebros.com/about/history.jsp Many allergy alerts about Rhee Brothers where they get caught with undeclared ingredients Fast Entrees - Hugh Carpenter, Teri Sandison - Pub. Date: August 2002 Oyster Sauce: This Asian cooking sauce, also called "oyster-flavored sauce," gives a rich taste to a dish without a hint of its seafood origins. We use it in many European dishes in place of salt. It will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. Best brands: Sa Cheng Oyster Flavored Sauce; Hop Sing Lung Oyster Sauce; and Lee Kum Kee Oyster Flavored Sauce, Old Brand. There is no substitute, but oyster sauce is widely available in supermarkets and Asian markets. http://www.americastestkitchen.com/TastingLab/1187.shtml Tasting Lab: Oyster Sauce Complex, authentic brand tops tasting. A trip to our local grocery store and Asian market turned up five different brands of bottled oyster sauce (technically, oyster-flavored sauce). Lee Kum Kee dominated the shelves with three varieties: Choy Sun, Panda Brand, and Premium Brand. Coin Tree and Sa Cheng rounded out the list. Although oyster sauce is too strong to be used as a condiment, we thought it was important to take note of the raw, unadulterated flavor of each bottle before using it in a recipe. Each brand of the potent sauce received the same standard comments: "salty," "biting," and "fishy." However, when we mixed the bottled sauces with other ingredients--sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and freshly ground black pepper--and then made simple stir-fries, our tasters were able to detect a wider range of flavors. The most authentic of the group was undoubtedly Lee Kum Kee's Premium Brand Oyster Flavored Sauce with Dried Scallop ($5.79 for an 18-ounce bottle). Admittedly intense and somewhat fishy, it was the only sauce with true depth of flavor; its saltiness was balanced by sweet caramel undertones, and the oyster flavor was strong. However, this sauce is not for the faint of heart, as one taster proclaimed, "My American taste buds can't take it." All of this notwithstanding, the other favorite among tasters was Sa Cheng Oyster Flavored Sauce ($1.59 for a 15-ounce bottle), preferred because it was mild and "gravylike." The other three bottled sauces we tried didn't seem to add much to our stir-fries. As one taster put it, they "may just as well have been soy sauce." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/01/28/FDG2R4HH2O1.DTL TASTER'S CHOICE Cheapest oyster sauce wins panel's favor Taster's Choice, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, January 28, 2004 Unless you do a lot of Southern Chinese cooking, you probably don't give oyster sauce much thought. We didn't, until we tested recipes for a recent "Seasonal Cook" and spent some time considering the salty-sweet richness it brings to dishes like blanched gai lan or stir-fried bok choy, without smothering their clean flavors. They're actually called "oyster flavored sauces" and most contain "oyster extractives," sugar and salt, with thickeners and colorings. A few vegetarian styles use mushroom flavor instead of oyster. Most supermarkets carry only two or three choices, with the Lee Kum Kee and Dynasty brands dominating. So we ventured beyond our usual markets to 99 Ranch, and came up with a total of 10 brands. They were tasted plain and with steamed rice. The winner was also the least expensive -- Hong Kong-made Amoy ($1.39 for 21.5 ounces, 99 Ranch). A balanced flavor won over three of the tasters, who said: "a good balance of sweet and salty with mild fish flavor," "good balance, good fish notes." One taster, though, said "balanced but chemical," and another who didn't like it said it "tastes like caramel, very salty and thick." Three would buy it, one might and one wouldn't. Dynasty ($2.29 for 9 ounces, several stores) placed second, its sweet- salty flavor not thrilling the panel but not offending them either. "Simple, a little salty," "strong caramel taste," and "rather innocuous and lacking fish flavor," the tasters said. Four might buy this brand; one would not. On its heels was Kimlan ($1.59 for 20 ounces, 99 Ranch), one of the vegetarian mushroom brands. The tasters gave it good marks for appearance but mixed ones for flavor. Comments ranged from "balanced, less caramel" to "very high in soy, unbalanced," "the finish is oddly chocolate-y" and "tastes like fish powder or extract." One would buy this, two might and two wouldn't. Fourth-ranked Sun Luck ($2.79 for 9 ounces, Cala) came across as "strong" but with a "starchy texture, gelatinous" and "too caramelized." One would buy it, two might and two wouldn't. Also tasted but unranked were Lee Kum Kee Panda, Lee Kum Kee Premium, Lee Kum Kee Choy Sun, Wan Ja Shan, Kikkoman and Maekrua.

Asian Condiments (not all listed) bean sauce = bean paste = brown bean sauce = brown bean paste = soybean condiment = yellow bean sauce = yellow bean paste Notes: This salty brown sauce is made from fermented soybeans, and is available in cans or jars. If you buy it in a can, transfer it into a jar. It can then be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator. Chinese bean sauce isn't as salty as Thai bean sauce. Substitutes: black bean sauce OR chili bean sauce OR awase miso oyster sauce Notes: This Cantonese dipping sauce is both sweet and salty. Look for bottles of it in Asian markets and large supermarkets. Substitutes: Bring to a boil, then simmer in a covered pot for 30 minutes: 2 C fresh oysters + 3 C water + 1 C bottled clam juice + 1 teaspoon salt + 1 clove of garlic + white portion of 1 green onion + 1 slice of fresh ginger root, then add a mixture of 1/4 C soy sauce + 1 teaspoon sugar + 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 3 tablespoons water, and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, then strain out the solids in the sauce and discard. (adapted from a recipe in Jennifer Brennan's excellent book, The Cuisines of Asia. See my sources.) OR soy sauce

IngredientCategory?: CONDIMENTS

Also See:

• Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_sauce
• The Cook's Thesaurus: Asian Condiments: http://www.foodsubs.com/CondimntAsia.html