Need a good "spicy brown sauce" for stir-fry. This one didn't cut it.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Made the tofu/shrimp dish last night.

The sauce is

1/2 C shrimp broth (from the peels)

1 TBL soy sauce

1 TBL Shaoxing rice cooking wine

1/4 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

then, at the very end:

1 TBL cornstarch

1 TBL water

One taste later I added 1/2 tsp chili/garlic sauce and more soy, but it was a hopeless cause. The soy added a salty tone, but it was a single instrument playing a lonely solo and I want an mouthful of orchestra.

If I could figure out the Chinese word for BORING!, I would.

On the other hand, I still have more of the same ingredients left-over (firm tofu, fresh shrimp, etc), so I'd like to try the recipe again.

Please help me zip this sucker up...it needs a serious boost in the flavor department.

 
I would add...

1-2 tsp Chinese Chili Paste (the jar of ground up chilies, usually has peanuts and sesame seeds, and oil)
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
3-5 cloves of garlic
1-2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp each of white pepper and Sichuan peppercorns
1 tsp. rice vinegar
increase sugar to 1 tsp.

The upper amount is my preference. Adjust to suit your taste buds.

 
Or maybe try this

my usual quick "spicy brown sauce" has these ingredients:

Sesame oil
low sodium soy sauce
oyster sauce or hoisin sauce (this gives the "mouthful" quality)
chili/garlic sauce

sometimes I add pulverized dry Chinese mushrooms. I personally don't like rice cooking wine or rice vinegar in stir fry sauces but that is just me. If you need a sweetener, try sweet sherry. I always use garlic and onions in my stir fry- that helps too.

 
Well, thanks to Richard, CathyZ and cheezz, the constraining shackles of a recipe have been struck

from my psyche.

After reading your notes, I suddenly realized that I didn't have to follow a specific recipe. I have TONS of oriental ingredients, so last night I started pulling ingredients out of the frig and cupboard.

Here's what went into my SPICY brown sauce:

1 TBL mushroom soysauce
1/2 TBL hoison
1 TBL lemongrass sauce
1/2 TBL dark sesame oil
2 tsp chili/garlic sauce
1 tsp black bean chili sauce
1 tsp Harissa
1/2 tsp ground black schezwan pepper
1/2 tsp honey

1 TBL minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced

This was added to:
8 oz fresh shrimp, cut into pieces
8 oz firm tofu (cut into 1/2" cubes and covered with hot water to warm up, then drained)
1 large onion, diced
1/2 large red pepper, diced
2 carrots, sliced into thin coins
1 small can mushrooms, chopped
1/2 C frozen peas
2 green onions, sliced
1/3 C shrimp liquid (1/2 C water boiled w/ peels)

I added the thickener, but wished I hadn't as there really wasn't enough liquid:
1 TBL cornstarch
1 TBL water

I was worried about it being too salty with all the prepared sauces so I didn't add any salt or regular soy sauce and served over neutral thin rice noodles. Here's a shocker: Larry said it actually needed a bit of salt....this from the man who claims water is too salty at time. The Universe may continue to turn on its axis.

Half-way through the meal, my nose began to run and I mentally cried out Hallelujah! The Spice Gods are Good. A runny nose is the New Mexico "high-five" for confirming a dish is just spicy enough, without--you know--searing through your sinuses.

 
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