Guide to Chinese Stir Fry Sauces

Chinese cuisine is well known for its stir-fry; they are cooked all around the world. Stir-fry are incredibly simple to make, and they are very quick to cook, so they are a favourite with many for a speedy meal. While noodles, meat and veg are the central part of a stir-fry, the sauce is what really makes it delicious. With Chinese stir-fry, there are a variety of different sauces, all with varying flavours. In this blog, we take a look at each of the popular sauces and discuss what they are often used for.

Orange Sauce

Orange sauce is one of the most popular in Chinese cuisine. It can be used with any meat or vegetables you wish, but the most common are beef, chicken, shrimp and tofu. Orange sauce tastes somewhat similar to the classic Chinese sweet and sour sauce we know from takeouts, but instead of using pineapple juice, it uses orange juice.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
Garlic
Ginger
Dried tangerine peel or grated orange zest
Orange juice
Rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
Light soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
Shaoxing wine
Sugar
Cornstarch
Fine sea salt

Hoisin Sauce

CC by Alpha

Hoisin sauce is dark in colour and has a thick consistency. The taste is quite salty with a slightly sweet flavour; it is somewhat similar to American barbecue sauce, but it is far richer and less sweet. It is a key ingredient in Chinese cooking and can be used in a variety of dishes. The sauce is often used with spareribs, stir-fry, chicken, and beef. Although, it is perhaps most famous for duck and hoisin pancakes, often as a starter in Chinese cuisine. The starter consists of small Chinese-style pancakes, shredded duck, cucumber and hoisin sauce. The dish is often served as separate parts, and you build the rolls yourself.

Ingredients

Light soy sauce
Natural peanut butter
Honey
Rice vinegar
Sesame oil
Garlic
Black pepper
Miso paste

General Tso Sauce

CC by jeffreyw

General Tso Sauce is one of the most versatile stir-fry sauces and is used in many dishes. It has a sweet, sour and spicy flavour all rolled into one. The sauce can be used in many different dishes, but it is most commonly paired with chicken, beef, pork, shrimps or tofu and then mixed with either noodles or rice.

Ingredients

Chinkiang vinegar
Shaoxing wine
Light soy sauce
Dark soy sauce
Sugar
Cornstarch
Chicken or vegetable stock

Black Bean Sauce

CC by eric molina

The primary flavour of black bean sauce comes from the fermented black beans, and this is then reduced with other intense flavours such as garlic and ginger. The sauce is sweet, salty and a little spicy and is used with many types of meat, such as beef, chicken and pork. It can also be used with other proteins such as shrimps, fish fillet or tofu.

Ingredients

Fermented black beans
Vegetable oil
White onion
Dried chilli peppers
Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, or Japanese sake
Light soy sauce or tamari for a gluten-free option
Sugar or brown sugar
Garlic
Ginger

Kung Pao Sauce

CC by John Liu

Kung Pao sauce is known for a spicy, sweet, garlicky and nutty flavour, although, as it is very popular in Chinese cuisine, many chefs create their own interpretation. It can be made to the desired flavour; spicier, less sweet etc. The sauce is most famous as Kung Pao chicken, but it can also be paired with any other meat or vegetable.

Ingredients

Peanut oil or vegetable oil
White sesame seeds
Chinese chilli flakes or Korean chilli flakes
Ground Sichuan peppercorns
Garlic
Ginger
Chinkiang vinegar
Light soy sauce or soy sauce
Shaoxing wine
Sugar
Cornstarch
Sea salt

Oyster Sauce

CC by ayustety

With a thick consistency, oyster sauce is brown in colour with a sweet and salty flavour and a hint of earthy tones. Traditionally, the sauce would be made by slowly simmering oysters in water until the juices caramelised. Today, shortcuts have been introduced to make the process far easier but also embrace the intense flavours. Oyster sauce can be used in many different ways; from stir-fry and noodles to dipping sauce and marinade.

Ingredients

Cornstarch
Water
Dark soy sauce
Oyster sauce
Sherry (dry)
Sugar
Sesame oil

Chinese cuisine is home to some fantastic flavours, much of which can be found in the sauce alone! Here at Oriental Mart, we are a Chinese supermarket online, which means you can find all the ingredients you may need and have them delivered to your door. Although it is easier to buy pre-made sauce, why not try it out yourself and make some from scratch?