CHINESE AND JAPANESE SAUCES WITH WHICH TO GIVE THE ORIENTAL TOUCH TO YOUR VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN DISHES

Chinese, Japanese and other oriental sauces are valid for dressing dishes from other cultures


Chinese, Japanese and other oriental sauces are valid for dressing dishes from other cultures
We have been able to include in our diet ingredients of oriental origin such as soybeans, tofu or tempura. So why not also include Chinese and Japanese sauces , as well as other sauces of oriental origin to spice up our daily dishes?
If you are one of mine, who is fed up with the classic condiments and enjoy the new flavors, I would like to share with you the list of what are for me the best Chinese and Japanese sauces . Essential condiments to turn dull and boring dishes into fun, original and tasty menus.
You can enjoy them raw or cooked . A splash of any of these sauces is enough to give your vegetarian, vegan and carnivorous dishes the oriental touch that we like so much.

Chinese sauces

Surely you already know some of these Chinese sauces, because who has not eaten spring rolls, sweet and sour pork or rice three delights ever?



In supermarkets and oriental stores you can buy any type of Chinese sauce
Chinese sauces in the picture: sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, oyster sauce, Hoisin sauce.

Chinese soy sauce

Although there are more varieties of Chinese sauce par excellence, the best known types of soy sauce are "light", "dark" and "thick". All are based on the same vegetarian recipe based on soybeans and wheat flour , to which some extra ingredient is added to change the flavor.
However, if we do not go to specialized stores and prefer to buy sauces from the Far East in Mercadona type supermarkets , the most normal thing is that we find only two types of soy sauce: sweet and savory .

Salted soy sauce (light)

The salty soy sauce , is made for palates that enjoy the dishes tastier. Because of its strong and salty taste, I do not recommend you salting more stews accompanied with this sauce.
Take a few drops like dressing or a splash in a broth or sauce . Try it with marinades, sauteed, soups, sauces, rice, textured soy, tofu or to dip sushi ; although it has its own special soy sauce.

Sweet Soy Sauce (Dark)

Of the two, sweet soy sauce is my favorite. For its sweet taste I use it with everything, whether pasta, rice, meat, fish or vegetables. Of course, no matter how sweet it is, it has an intense soy sauce flavor.
I recommend it in marinades, sauteed, rice, pasta, soups, salsa, stews, tofu, meats, vegetables, textured soy ...
''COMBINE THE TWO SOY SAUCES OR USE THEM INDEPENDENTLY''

Oyster sauce

Dark, thick as molasses, with a powerful flavor and a pretty sweet touch, oyster sauce is a good dressing for meats, vegetables, rice and pasta.
It has a much milder taste than the previous ones, so "you can take without fear." I combine it with soy sauce in marinades, sauteed, barbecues, roasts, stews, soups and sauces.

Sweet and sour sauce

Sweet and sour sauce not only accompanies batters.  It is one of the oriental sauces that can complement a wide variety of meat or vegetable dishes
If not the most, one of the Chinese sauces that I like the most is sweet and sour sauce . A sauce that I have tried to reproduce "unsuccessfully" many times, and that is not very successful in Western stores. I only find it with its original recipe and flavor in Chinese food stores.
totally vegetarian recipe that not only accompanies batters. It works very well with rice, pasta, meat or vegetables, and combines perfectly with other sweet and spicy oriental sauces.

Chinese salad sauce

The ideal dressing for any salad , even if it is not the typical sweet and sour Chinese salad , has the disadvantage that it is not commercialized. And as far as I know, the only way to get it is to prepare it at home, since more than a sauce is a dressing.
It is like the oil, vinegar and salt of Mediterranean salads in oriental version. But do not worry, we have already talked about it and here I leave you the recipe for the white dressing of the Chinese salad .

Hoisin sauce

For making a simile this is the Chinese ketchup , but it really is the sauce for the lacquered duck or Peking style duck .
Very thick, intense and bittersweet pulling sweet , I recommend it more for meats than for vegetables. Although being among my favorite sauces, I use it interchangeably with tofu, meat, chicken, vegetables or fish.
Paint with the Hoisin sauce your chicken wings, ribs, skewers of breast, vegetables, chips or whatever you can think of, because it is very good!

Japanese sauces




Some of the Japanese sauces can accompany your western dishes
Japanese sauces in the picture: Teriyaki sauce, Tonkatsu sauce, Shoyu sauce.

The Japanese sauces along with Japanese gastronomy in general are less well known than the others , but gradually have successfully integrated into our culture. That is why we no longer "sound like Chinese" terms like Wasabi or Wakame .

That by the way, who was going to tell you a couple of years ago that these ingredients of such picturesque names could be bought at the nearest supermarket 
😉

Teriyaki sauce

Japanese equivalent to Peking duck sauce but a little more "agri", Teriyaki sauce is a mixture of soy sauce and mirin ; a type of sake intended for cooking, sweet and with less alcohol than drinking.
Like your "Chinese relative" I recommend it as a Japanese substitute for ketchup or mustard . Dip meat, hamburgers, vegetables, fish, potatoes or whatever you want into this delicious sauce.

Tonkatsu sauce

The tonkatsu sauce is a thick sauce, spicy and fruity which is made from fruit and vegetables to accompany batters. Everything indicates that it is a Japanese variation of the traditional English sauce or Worcestershire (the typical Lea Perrins).
It perfectly replaces a barbecue sauce and is ideal for grilled meat, fish or vegetable dishes.

Japanese soy sauce (Shoyu)

Less salty and less intense flavor than the Chinese because of a different elaboration process, it allows you to taste the delicacy of Japanese dishes.
In this sauce from the land of the rising sun we also find varieties with different potencies of salt and flavor, such as the Usukuchi Shoyu ; clear and powerful sauce, or the Koikuchi Shoyu ; Japan's darker and less intense traditional.
Other Japanese sauces such as Sukiyaki , Ponzu or Tamari are variations of the original soybeans, some made without gluten and compatible with the specific diet of celiac people.
Japanese soybeans are the best sauces to dip vegetable crudités , meat, fish or your fake sushi recipes , and give your dishes that characteristic flavor.

Other interesting oriental sauces

The lovers of the penetrating and spicy flavors we find in the Asian sauces the versions that will burn our palate, and possibly our stomach.
Satay sauce is the perfect complement for chicken, meat, fish or vegetable skewers

Satay Sauce

From Indonesia comes the Satay or peanut sauce , it is acidic, sweet, salty and spicy at the same time. You can use this sauce to dip chicken, meat or fish.

Sriracha sauce

Spicy and sweet and sour because it is made with chilli and vinegar, Sriracha sauce is the most used in Thailand.
Ideal for dressing fish, vegetables, chicken, meat and hamburgers. But be careful! because with a single drop of the super hot sauce it will be more than enough.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Of this I always have in the fridge, since they sell it in the supermarket of my neighborhood. The sweet chili sauce Thai is not passed spicy, it does not sting more than a Aioli not too strong.
I use a splash as a special touch in soups and sauces, as well as grilled vegetables, meats or fish. I love dipping it with french fries.

Where to buy authentic oriental sauces

The Japanese and Chinese sauces are no longer hard to come by , because virtually sold in any supermarket or self - respecting large area. You will even see some of the white label, which offers the same quality and flavor as "westernized" as the original oriental sauces.
Although posts to choose, if you have the possibility buy the original.
The sauces of the best brands , or at least the best known, I get in the shops of oriental food. If you don't have any at hand, you always have online stores.

Chinese and Japanese sauces brands recommended



Finally and so you can buy the best manufacturers sauce , I name some of the best considered.

Lee Kum Kee

The one that has more variety of sauces has and easy to recognize for the panda bear that it uses in some of its labels. It is the reference manufacturer of all types of Chinese soy sauce, oyster sauce, Hoisin sauce that I like the most and Sriracha.

Aiko

The manufacturer of the white brand of Hacendado soy sauces is Austrian, but has managed to get the authentic oriental flavor.

Kikkoman

Manufacturer par excellence of the delicate Japanese soy sauces, Teriyaki, Ponzu ... It has among its products a gluten-free Tamari soy sauce .
Now that you know all these Chinese and Japanese sauces, are you going to resist giving the oriental touch to your carnivorous, vegan or vegetarian dishes ?
Don't forget to tell me your experience!

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