With the addition of lemongrass, Los Angeles chef Sang Yoon brings a floral Southeast Asian note to boost the deep umami flavor of this luxurious Chinese sauce. Stir XO sauce into stir-fries or add it to a wok with fried crabs or shrimp.
Ingredients
- 1¼ oz. dried scallops
- ½ oz. dried octopus
- ¼ oz. dried shrimp
- ⅛ oz. dried mackerel
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 stalk lemongrass, stemmed, tough outer leaves discarded, inner core chopped
- 1 shallot
- 3 tbsp. Chinese cooking wine
- 1½ tbsp. dark brown sugar or palm sugar
- 1½ tbsp. fermented bean paste (dou ban jiang)
- 1½ tbsp. soy sauce
- ¼ cups peanut oil
- ¼ cups dark Asian sesame oil
Instructions
Step 1
Combine dried seafood in a medium bowl and cover with warm water; let soak until soft, about 1 hour. Drain seafood and transfer to a food processor along with the garlic, lemongrass, and shallot. Process into a coarse paste. Add wine, sugar, bean paste, and soy sauce and pulse to combine.
Step 2
Heat peanut oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add seafood mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add 1⁄2 cup water and cook, stirring, until evaporated, about 5 minutes more. Stir in sesame oil and transfer mixture to a clean jar; let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
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