February is coming to a close, and that means Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year festivities are expiring. But what’s there to do in March besides studying for midterms? You could go wild on St. Patrick's Day, or even better, celebrate sauces for an entire month. Sauces? That’s right. March is National Sauce Month, and to kick it off, I’ve got a guide to Asian sauces so you can get your sauce on.
Asian cuisine has a wide range of flavor profiles, from sweet to savory to spicy. To achieve those distinctive tastes, chefs pull from a variety of sauces. Learning how to cook with each of them as an amateur cook, however, can be overwhelming because there's so many of them. National Sauce Month is the perfect time to experiment with these sauces and concoct new types of dishes.
Hoisin Sauce
First up is hoisin sauce, a prominent ingredient in Chinese cuisine, such as moo shu pork. This dark and thick sauce adds sweet, savory, and spicy elements to give the popular Chinese pork dish the kick it needs. It can be used as a dipping sauce or as an addition to soup dishes and stir-fries as well. Don’t worry if you’re vegan or vegetarian: while many Asian sauces are often made with fish-based ingredients, hoisin sauce is made solely from vegetable-based ingredients. Try this vegan grilled tofu recipe featuring this delectable sauce.
#SpoonTip: Next time you're eating pho, add a couple drops of hoisin sauce to add some more umami flavors.
Fish Sauce
If you like especially salty dishes, give fish sauce a try. Primarily used in Vietnamese and Thai dishes, it is made from fermenting anchovies, which gives it its sharp smell and briny taste. Don’t let the sound of fermented anchovies stop you from trying it. Lighter in consistency than hoisin sauce, this amber brown-colored sauce is used to marinate seafood and meat dishes and as a salt substitute. It can also be used as a condiment, like in the Thai sauce called Prik Nam Pla (or Nam Pla Prik). If you ever want to make some yourself, here's a recipe using fish sauce.
Plum Sauce
This next Asian sauce brings the heat you've been looking for to the party. Also known as duck sauce, this reddish-brown sauce is made entirely from plant-based ingredients, including plums (you guessed it). Its tangy, sweet flavor can be used to marinate dishes and give them some spice, and it’s also good for making dipping sauces for your favorite Chinese appetizers such as egg rolls, spring rolls, lettuce wraps, etc. If you can’t find it in your neighborhood market, try this simple plum sauce recipe to make some from scratch.
Oyster Sauce
Similar to hoisin sauce, this opaque Asian sauce has a thick and sticky consistency. What makes it different is that it’s made with oysters boiled with brine and other seasonings and doesn't have spicy undertones. It has a high salt content, so start off with a few drops and then work your way up to a taste that suits your palette. Even with a small serving, however, it can enhance the flavors of the other ingredients used in a recipe. Personally, I use this sauce in stir-fries, like this pork noodle stir fry recipe.
#SpoonTip: Don’t forget to keep oyster sauce refrigerated once you open it.
Soy Sauce
No list would be complete without this staple sauce. Soy sauce comes in multiple varieties: regular, sweet, dark—you name it. It is often used to add savory flavors and can even be substituted for salt. What makes it distinctive from the other salty Asian sauces on this list is that it doesn't have a viscous texture or a fishy taste. Plus, it’s versatile. It can be used as a dipping sauce for your dumplings or combined with sweet flavors, like honey. Check out this honey garlic chicken slow cooker recipe to get started using soy sauce in your next meal.
With this quick guide to Asian sauces, you’ll be cooking some Asian-inspired cuisines in no time. The next time you need to do some grocery shopping, swing by an Asian market, such as 99 Ranch Market, to pick up a few bottles of these sauces. If there aren't Asian markets close by, check out the Asian ingredients aisle in a nearby grocery store, like Safeway. Once March comes around, you'll be able to celebrate National Sauce Month like a pro.