Asian Sauces and Seasonings: Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, sake and Thai green curry paste are everyday seasonings in East and Southeast Asian kitchens. Each adds a different layer of sweetness, saltiness or heat.
How it is used
Hoisin is a thick, sweet and savory Chinese sauce used in marinades, dipping sauces and stir-fries. Oyster sauce is a salty-sweet sauce made from oyster extracts, popular in Cantonese cooking; vegetarian versions use mushrooms. Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine for glazes and teriyaki, and sake is Japanese rice wine used to remove odors and add depth. Thai green curry paste blends green chilies, lemongrass, galangal, garlic and aromatics. Start with small amounts, since these are concentrated.
Background
These seasonings developed over many centuries in China, Japan and Thailand and are now found in grocery stores worldwide.
Buying and storing
Refrigerate after opening. Check labels for allergens, including shellfish, soy, wheat and fish.
Good to know
Substitutes exist (for example, a little sugar and soy sauce for hoisin), but flavor differs. Cooking sake and mirin contain alcohol that mostly cooks off but not always completely.