Cooking oils, sauces and condiments form the base flavours of Asian cuisines. Although many of them may sound similar, each Asian cuisine actually has their own unique versions. Have a look and learn more about the various Asian condiments, sauces and oils here!
Aekjeot
Korean fish sauce, or Aekjeot/Aecjeot, is made from either fermented anchovy or sand lance. It's salty, a little sweet and provides a delicious umami flavour. Koreans use this product in making some types of Kimchi for flavour and to speed up the fermentation. It is also used to make some Korean side dishes, soups and stews. Note that Aekjeot cannot be substituted with Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce.
Check out all the recipes that use Aekjeot here!
Recipes that use Aekjeot
Belacan
Belacan is a dried fermented shrimp paste used in Malay cooking. Unlike other shrimp pastes, like Kapi or Mam Ruoc, belacan is dried into a hardened block. This product provides a savoury depth to curries and pastes like Sambal Belacan. Before using it, belacan should be roasted. Cut the belacan into thin slices and toast in an oven or pan until brown - just be wary of its pungent smell!
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Recipes that use Belacan
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-1-218x146.jpg "Northern Thai Sausage (Sai Oua)")
Chinese Chilli Oil
Cchilli oil made by pouring hot oil onto a bowl of dried chillies. The oil cools and blends to exude the spicy fragrance, most often used as a dipping sauce or for zesty stir-fry dishes.
Check out all the recipes that use Chinese Chilli Oil here!
Recipes that use Chinese Chilli Oil
-(CSW-2019)-218x146.jpg "Mixed Veggie Noodle Bowl with Chilli Oil Bamboo Slices")
-218x146.jpg "Sichuan Hot and Sour Sweet Potato Noodles (Suan La Fen)")
Chinkiang Vinegar
Unlike rice vinegar which has fruity flavour, black vinegar or Chinkiang vinegar has a dark colour with a fermented, malty taste and wooden character, thanks to its long aging process. An essential ingredient to make sweet-sour sauce, cold salad, hot noodles, as a dipping sauce for dumplings, and a great marinade for grilled pork chops.
Black vinegar is also known for health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, improving digestion and detoxifying your body.
Check out all the recipes that use Chinkiang Vinegar here!
Recipes that use Chinkiang Vinegar
Chunjang
Although it's known as 'black bean paste', Chunjang is actually a fermented mixture made from soybeans, flour and caramel. The paste tastes salty and slightly sweet. It is a key ingredient in Jajang, a thick black sauce, which is used to make the popular noodle dish Jajangmyeon. Chunjang is also served alongside raw onion and Danmuji (yellow pickled radish) in many Korean restaurants.
Dashi
It's a kind of stock used in Japanese cuisine that's usually used as a base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup and any different kinds of broth that has a noticeable savoury taste or an umami flavour. Usually made from simple ingredients like dried kelp, dried bonito flakes and or different kinds of mushrooms and water that is boiled and simmered over a long period.
Check out all the recipes that use Dashi here!
Recipes that use Dashi
-218x146.jpg "Japanese Style Simmered Pork Belly (Buta no Kakuni)")
Deulgireum
While often translated as 'Wild Sesame Oil', Deulgireum comes from toasted perilla seeds. Like sesame oil, Deulgireum has many applications in Korean cuisine, but tastes slightly earthier. Aside from being used as a cooking oil, for example to sauté vegetables, perilla oil is used in salad dressings, condiments and dipping sauces. Deulgireum has a shorter shelf life than other oils, so it's best to use it within a year.
Doenjang
This Korean fermented soy bean paste is comparable to Japanese Miso, but much stronger. It has a distinct umami flavour, and is salty and slightly sour. It's used to enhance the flavour of stews and soups, and to create the condiment ssamjang. Doenjang is a quick way to add depth and flavour to any meat or vegetables you're cooking.
Check out all the recipes that use Doenjang here!
Recipes that use Doenjang
-218x146.jpg "Korean Spicy Fish Stew (Maeuntang)")
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce is a pungent, amber-coloured liquid. This condiment has an intense fishy smell, but is salty with a distinct umami flavour. A staple throughout Southeast Asia, it's used to make dipping sauces like Thai Prik Nam Pla or Vietnamese Nuoc Cham, but can be used to marinade meat, or is simply added to a dish as a seasoning. But remember: a little bit goes a long way.
Check out all the recipes that use Fish Sauce here!
Recipes that use Fish Sauce
-218x146.jpg "Thai Green Curry Chicken")
Gochujang
Gochujang is a spicy red chilli paste that's a staple in Korean cuisine. It's usually used in Korea to marinade meat, add some spice to stews and soups, and included in dipping sauces. It has a thick, sticky texture, so is best thinned out with liquid before using.
Check out all the recipes that use Gochujang here!
Recipes that use Gochujang
Guk-ganjang
Guk-ganjang is a byproduct of making doenjang (fermented soybean paste). Known in English as 'soup soy sauce', it's most commonly used by Koreans to season soup; because it's saltier and lighter in colour than other soy sauces, using Guk-ganjang doesn't darken the colour of the soup. It is also used for Namul (Korean vegetable side dishes).
Hoisin Sauce
Hoisin sauce is a sweet dark red-brown sauce made from fermented soybeans, plums, garlic, sugar, salt, and spices. It is used as dipping sauce in many Chinese cuisine.
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Recipes that use Hoisin Sauce
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-218x146.jpg "Sticky Air Fryer Pork Char Siu with Pickled Radish Salad")
Japanese Mayonnaise
Unlike Western mayonnaise, Japanese mayo is made with apple cider or rice vinegar, and egg yolks. It has a thicker texture and a yellowish colour, with a much tastier flavour.
Check out all the recipes that use Japanese Mayonnaise here!
Recipes that use Japanese Mayonnaise
-218x146.jpg "Crispy Wasabi Prawn Sandwich (Wasabi Ebi Katsu Sando)")
Japanese Soy Sauce (Shoyu)
Soy sauce was introduced to Japan by Chinese Buddhist monks since the 7th century, but the shoyu tastes quite different from its ‘original’ version. Instead of the pure saltiness from brined, fermented soybeans, shoyu is an equal mix of soy and wheat. The result is a slightly sweet, salty, and sherry-like flavour.
Kaeshi (Soba Sauce Base)
An essential Japanese ingredient. Can be used as a flavouring base to noodles, dipping sauce and many other dishes as this can be easily used to any kinds of food. Can be found in any Asian grocery but You can make your own kaeshi with a good quality dark soy sauce, white sugar and good quality mirin and can be stored in the fridge for months.
Karashi Mustard
Hotter than English mustard without the sour aftertaste, Karashi is on the same level as wasabi, but is even more savoury. Best served with tempura, oden pot (boiled eggs, daikon, konjac and dashi broth), natto beans and shumai dumplings.
Check out all the recipes that use Karashi Mustard here!
Recipes that use Karashi Mustard
Koikuchi (Japanese Dark soy sauce)
Koikuchi literally means "dark mouth", a Japanese regular and all-purpose soy sauce that has a salty, deep umami flavour. It is generally used as a condiment or any types of cooking and is the most popular soy sauce sold in Japan. It is made from 50% soybeans and 50% wheat plus salt and yeast.
Mentsuyu
The soup base ingredient for soba and udon dishes, Mentsuyu combines sake, mirin, soy sauce, kombu and dried bonito flakes. There are two types: Kaketsuyu, simmered sauce for boiled noodle soups; and Tsuketsuyu, tasty cold sauce for chilled soba. The mentsuyu flavour is a sophisticated blend of beany, wine-like and light salty taste that lingers in your mouth. Add a few spoons of mentsuyu and your noodles instantly transform into a world of authentic yumminess.
Check out all the recipes that use Mentsuyu here!
Recipes that use Mentsuyu
-218x146.jpg "Cold Soba Noodle (Zaru Soba)")
_edit (1)-218x146.jpg "Cold Soba (Zaru Soba)")
Mirin
Mirin, known as a Japanese cooking rice wine, is an important condiment in Japanese cooking. It's a sweet and syrup-like liquid that is used to season and add sweetness to teriyaki, ramen or stir-fries, remove the strong smell of fish and meat, or to provide a glaze to grilled food. There are several types of mirin with varying levels of alcohol content, ranging from lower than 1% to 14%.
Check out all the recipes that use Mirin here!
Recipes that use Mirin
 (1)-218x146.jpg "Duck Soba Noodle Soup (Kamo Nanban)")
Mulyeot
Mulyeot was traditionally a malt syrup made from barley, but today is sold as corn syrup. It is used in Korean cooking for making sweets, or to add a sweetness and a shiny glaze to braised or grilled dishes. Ssalyeot, a brown rice syrup, is often used as a substitute. Mulyeot is not as sweet as cane sugar or honey, so using these as substitutes is not preferable.
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Recipes that use Mulyeot
Natto (Fermented soy beans)
Traditional Japanese food made from soybeans that are fermented with Bacillus subtilis. Often served during breakfast together with karashi mustard, soy sauce, chives or other seasonings and cooked rice. It has an acquired tased because of its powerful smell, strong flavour, sticky and has a slimy texture. Also contains a good amount of nutrients as the soybeans have been fermented that created conditions that promote the growth of probiotics.
Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce is a thick, rich sauce with a hint of sweetness made from oyster extracts, sugar, salt, water and thickened with cornflour. This sauce is used widely in Chinese cuisine in stir-fries, stir-fried noodles, marinades or simply to dress blanched vegetables.
Check out all the recipes that use Oyster Sauce here!
Recipes that use Oyster Sauce
-218x146.jpg "Indonesian Fried Noodles (Mie Goreng)")
Ponzu
Ponzu actually originated from the Old Dutch word ‘pons’, as in ‘fruit punch’. But instead of a beverage, it’s a sour sauce made by simmering mirin, rice vinegar, dried fermented tuna flakes and seaweed; then cooled and mixed with either juice from lemon, yuzu, sudachi, daidai or kabosu (Japanese lime and small orange or grapefruit variants).
Ponzu is delicious as a marinade for yakitori chicken or grilled fish, or as a dipping sauce for shabu-shabu hot pot dishes and sashimi.
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Recipes that use Ponzu
Rayu
Rayu is a Japanese chilli oil. In its simplest form, rayu is sesame oil, which is infused with chilli, imparting a red colour. Rayu can be found in Japanese restaurants, where it is enjoyed with gyoza or ramen, and is also used as a cooking ingredient. Taberu rayu is a popular version that's less spicy and contains fried garlic, fried onion or dried shrimp for texture.
Check out all the recipes that use Rayu here!
Recipes that use Rayu
Rice Wine Vinegar
Literally the ‘su’ in sushi, rice vinegar is the base ingredient that shapes sushi rice and gives its light tangy taste. Also used to marinate meat and fish, make tsukemono pickles, like sashimi and tataki dipping sauce, as well as seasoning for nabe hot pots when combined with mirin, dashi and shoyu.
Sake
Sake is produced by fermenting rice, and is consequently known as ‘rice wine’. However, sake's brewing process is actually more similar to beer than wine; the rice starch is converted into sugars, which ferment into alcohol. 'Sake' in Japanese actually refers to all alcohol. What we know as 'sake' is actually nihonshu. Undiluted sake's alcohol content is 18-20%. Sake can be enjoyed at different temperatures.
Check out all the recipes that use Sake here!
Recipes that use Sake
-218x146.jpg "Wasabi Pork Skewers and Enoki Maki")
Sesame Oil
Another flavour enhancer, sesame oil is most often used for dumpling fillings and to complete your stir-fry dishes. For the extra aroma, get the toasted version with a dark amber colour instead of the untoasted yellow ones. Don’t use too much of it though. The sesame oil fragrance can overpower your other ingredients. Just a complimentary touch is enough for most dishes.
Check out all the recipes that use Sesame Oil here!
Recipes that use Sesame Oil
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-218x146.jpg "Tofu with Stir-fried Kimchi and Pork Belly (Dubu Kimchi)")
Shaoxing Wine
A rice wine from the Shaoxing region of China used in cooking for its vinegary, spicy and caramel-like flavour. Shaoxing wine is great for stir-fry or braised meat dishes, as well as dumpling fillings and Mapo Tofu. There are brined and salt-free versions. Best to get both to cover any recipe.
Check out all the recipes that use Shaoxing Wine here!
Recipes that use Shaoxing Wine
-218x146.jpg "Claypot Sesame Oil Chicken")
-218x146.jpg "Chinese Beef Meat Pie (Xian Bing)")
Shiro (White soy sauce)
.jpg "Shiro (White soy sauce)")
Shiro literally means, "white soy sauce" but has a little amber colour. Compared to the regular Japanese dark coloured soy sauce, Shiro is usually made from 80% wheat and 20% soybeans the higher wheat content makes it appear to a lighter colour. This type of soy sauce is best used in tamagoyaki (Japanese sweet omelette).
Soy Sauce
There are different variants of soy sauce across the Asian continent, all made in different ways, with varying flavours, textures and uses. It can be used in stir-fries, as dipping sauce, or to marinate meat, season dishes, or add flavour to just about anything. Soy sauce has an almost infinite number of applications and is a staple in every Asian kitchen.
Check out all the recipes that use Soy Sauce here!
Recipes that use Soy Sauce
Ssamjang
Ssamjang is a Korean sauce that is eaten with Ssam, a lettuce or peril leaf wrap filled with Korean BBQ meat, rice, vegetables and topped off with the Ssamjang. It is made from Doenjang (fermented soy bean), resulting in an umami flavour, which is complemented with sweetness and spiciness from other ingredients. While Ssamjang is easy to make at home, it can be bought premade.
Check out all the recipes that use Ssamjang here!
Recipes that use Ssamjang
Torigara Stock (Chicken Carcass Soup)
A Japanese chicken bones soup stock. Can be made from home yourself or bought at any Asian grocery stores. It is made with a boiled and steamed pure chicken essence (chicken with bones), water together with some ingredients like ginger, leeks, garlic, black pepper or herbs like a bay leaf to bring more flavour.
Usukuchi (Japanese Light soy sauce)
.jpg "Usukuchi (Japanese Light soy sauce)")
Usukushi is a Japanese soy sauce and has a lighter colour compared to other soy sauce but does not have a lighter taste compared to the regular soy sauce (koikuchi). Also made from soy, wheat and salt but is lightened by adding wheat gluten or fermented rice. A second most popular soy sauce in Japan usually used for marinating a dish to not change the colour of the dish.
Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
A vegetarian substitute for oyster sauce. It has the same dark brown colour with the regular oyster sauce but it has a slightly thinner consistency. It also has the same umami-rich flavour but is made of mushrooms that have a deep and meaty flavour which is a perfect alternative to for any basic Chinese or Asian ingredients.
Check out all the recipes that use Vegetarian Oyster Sauce here!
-218x146.jpg "Bird Nest Noodles")
-218x146.jpg "Vegetarian Pad Thai")
