Cantonese sauce is the backbone of Chinese cuisine. It is also known as Chinese brown sauce.
Cantonese cuisine originates from the Guangdong province of China. Most restaurants labeled as “Chinese restaurants” will largely serve Cantonese-style cuisine. This is a result of the large number of emigrants from Guangzhou, Macau and Hong Kong.
There are many variations of this Cantonese sauce, don’t be afraid to experiment with other ingredients. It is mainly made from soy sauce, but can also contain XO sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, and many other ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of ginger
- 1.5 cups of soy sauce
- 1 and ¾ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds (optional)
- 4 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons of water
Finely chop (or grate) the garlic and ginger. Put 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a pan (or pot) and turn on medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and fry a little while stirring constantly. Pour 1.5 cups of soy sauce , add sugar, pepper and mix well.
Bring to a boil and on very low heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water to a small bowl. Mix very well and pour the starch slurry into the sauce while stirring constantly.
Stir the sauce for another minute and wait for it to start boiling again. Then cook for 5 minutes. Finally, add 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds and mix well.
Allow to cool before placing in a container. As the sauce cools, it will thicken.
Or a different variant:
- 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- 3 cm very finely chopped ginger
- 150 ml hoisin sauce
- 30 ml of rice vinegar
- 100 ml of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon of five-spice Chinese spice
Peel and finely chop the ginger. Chop the garlic. Place them in a pan (or a small saucepan), then add the hoisin, soy sauce , vinegar , sugar and Chinese five-spice. Stir and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Once the sauce is bubbling, reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit. You can thicken the sauce with cornstarch mixed in water, just like in the previous version.
Cantonese sauce will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
Third, another option:
An authentic Chinese all-purpose stir-fry sauce that takes minutes to prepare and keeps in the fridge for weeks. The brilliant thing about it is that you make it by simply mixing the ingredients in a jar that you put in the fridge, where it can be stored for weeks – even months.
Then you simply heat some oil in a wok, throw in the meat, vegetables, noodles and then add the sauce with a little water and it magically turns into a thick, glossy sauce that deliciously covers your pieces of meat, vegetables, noodles. It’s great, plain, but also so versatile – add herbs, fruity sweetness, or some sharper flavor to it.
Ingredients
- 125 ml soy sauce
- 125 ml oyster sauce
- 60 ml Shaoxing Chinese rice wine
- 30 g cornstarch
- 1 spoon of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
- 1-2 tsp ground white pepper (optional)
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator and shake before use. After longer storage, be careful to mix in the cornstarch as well. It settles at the bottom and over time it needs to be stirred with a spoon, for example. Shaking may not be enough.
Basic flavors for the sauce
- Garlic, minced or finely chopped
- Ginger, ground or finely chopped
- Fresh chili peppers, ground or finely chopped
Additional flavoring suggestions
- Sriracha, chili bean paste, or other spicy addition
- Sweet chili sauce
- Replace the water with pineapple or orange juice
- Rice vinegar – for a hint of acidity
- Fresh coriander leaves or Thai basil – for freshness
- Garlic or common chives, chopped
- A pinch of Chinese five spice powder
