Recipes by their Ingredients

oyster sauce

  • Char Siu Bao (Baked BBQ Pork Buns)

    Char Siu Bao
    Char Sui Bao
    (Makes 6-8)


    Filling
    Char Siu Pork, ¼ to ½ inch cubes

    Filling Sauce
    2 tblsp Char Siu Sauce (marinade)
    1 tblsp Oyster sauce
    1½ tblsp dark soy sauce
    1 tblsp Sesame oil
    1 tsp white pepper
    1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
    2 tblsp sugar
    1 tsp scallion oil, optional

    Slurry (thickener for filling)
    2 tsp cornstarch
    2 tsp water

    Bao
    400g strong bread flour
    25g butter
    70g fine sugar
    2g salt
    7g fast action dry yeast
    200g warm water (the yeast I use requires the liquid be 120-130 degrees F.)

    Egg Wash
    1 egg
    1 tblsp milk or water


    NOTES:The bread measurements are all in grams because being exact in baking recipes almost always means you will get a great result! There was not any dough that was too sticky and it just takes the guess work out of the equation! I have used a version of this model for years!

    For the pork, I used a boneless butt/shoulder, cut into 1 inch by 1 inch and however long they are logs. Marinate for 2-3 days in your char siu marinade. Using a grill, bbq the pork, we like small really dark areas, yes they look a little burnt here and there, but are actually a combination of the sugar over-carmelizing and the char of the grill. In my circle of friends this is now known as "candy meat"!
    After grilling, let them rest and then cube up the Char Siu Bao portion and set aside, (save any leftover for another meal!

    For the filling sauce, in a small cup, mix the corn starch and water together to form a 'slurry' which will be used to thicken the filling sauce and set aside.
    Add the rest of the ingredients to a small sauce pan, mix together and turn on the heat to medium until the misture is boiling, then turn the heat down to low, and add a tblspoon of the hot mixture to the slurry mixing while you pur it in, once mixed add back to the hot sauce pan miixture stirring while your adding it. now let the sauce come to a simmer and let it reduce until its super thick and sort of oozes, this will take between 2 and 5 minutes depending on the stove heat. Once thick set aside let cool, if you want, transfer the mixture to a different bowl to facilitate cooling.

    For the Bao, Let the yeast bloom (5-10 minutes) after adding warm water and a tblsp of the sugar from the 70 grams.
    Add all the flour to a mixer with a dough hook. (Or you can hand mix it) Add the salt and sugar mix until blended.
    Now add half of the bloomed yeast/water mixture, mixing on low speed, then slowly add the remaining yeast/water until it is all incorporated and a dough forms, you may need a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides or stir up the bottom.
    Now add push the softened butter into the dough and let the mixer run at slightly faster then medium speed for 4 minutes. Make sure the butter isn't pooling outside the dough and gets mixed in to it.
    Remove the dough and hand kneed for a minute and form a ball, pulling the top to the bottom to create surface tension before resting in a lightly oiled bowl covered with a damp tea towel for 1½ hours. (There are plenty of YouTube videos with bakers forming the dough balls.)
    After 1½ hours rising, divide the dough in to 6 parts for large baos (about 4 oz each) or for smaller baos divide into 8 pieces.

    Putting it all together: Roll the bao pieces into circles 3-4 inches in diameter, then add a heaping tablespoonful of the filling into the center, pull up 2 opposite sides together without the filling touching the edges or it will not stick together, pinch the sides then follow the 2 remaining areas that are left and pinch shut, bring the pinched ends together crimping the dough together so they do not leak during baking and then the seem ends up at the bottom of the bun.
    Put them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and best if you have one insert a rack in the tray and add the parchment paper to the rack grid rack lined with parchment paper insted of the cookie sheet. This will prevent the bottom from burning. Let them rise for 30 minutes once filled.
    After the 30 minutes, brush the tops and sides with the egg wash.
    Put them in the center of a pre-warmed oven at 350 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. I always take a look at them after 10 minutes in any case. You never know. They should look golden brown and delicious when they are done!

  • Chow Fun

    Chow Fun
    Chow Fun
    (serves 12)
    1 lb Char Siu beef, pork or chicken
    1 tblsp oil
    ginger, almond size, mashed and minced
    ½ cup carrots, thinly sliced
    ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
    1 small onion, thinly sliced
    12 ounces bean sprouts
    2 tsp salt
    1 tblsp Oyster Sauce
    12 ounce package of Chow Fun noodles
    2 scallions (green onions), cut into 1 inch lengths
    NOTES: An experiment with great results!

    Instructions

    Cut char siu/pork meat into thin strips. Heat oil in skillet or wok. Add char siu/pork and ginger, cook until lightly browned.

    Add carrots, celery and onions, cook until half done. Add bean sprouts, salt and oyster sauce, stir lightly. Add chow fun. Cook for 1 minute. Add green onions just before serving.

     

  • Foil Wrapped Chicken

    Foil Wrapped Chicken
    Foil Wrapped Chicken
    (Serves 4 people, Makes 16)


    9 oz boneless chicken thighs, ⅓ inch pieces
    ¾ tblsp minced garlic
    ¾ tblsp finely chopped ginger
    1 tsp Chinese cooking wine (shaoxing)
    ¾ tblsp soy sauce
    ¾ tblsp sweet soy sauce
    ¾ tblsp Oyster sauce
    ¾ tblsp sesame oil
    1 tsp sugar
    ½ tblsp tsp crushed peppercorns
    ¾ tblsp Cornstarch
    (16) 4" Aluminum Foil Squares
    2 to 3 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying


    NOTES: Frying time can vary depending on what you are using to fry in, aka a wok, deep fryer or a sauce pot.

    Prepare the chicken in a small bowl, set aside, mix all the other ingredients togather, then either add the chicken to them or add them to the chicken, mix well and let them marinate for 1 hour, if its warm in your kitchen put them in the fridge while marinating and remove 15 minutes prior to being ready.

    If you haven't done so already cut out 16 squares of tinfoil (4"x4"), now wrap up 3-4 pieces of chicken, about 1 tblsp worth, in the center of the foil, now grab a corner of the tinfoil and match it with the opposite corner of tinfoil, flatten it into that triangle, then fold over the edge along the seam of the triangle ¼ of an inch do the same for the other open seem, now fold ¼ inch corner back in ¼ inch. Repeat until all the chicken and foil is used, about 20 packets.

    Heat the oil up to 350-365°F. depending on how much room you have in your fryer, add 4-5 packets at a time and let them fry for about 4 minutes.
    The cooked foil wrapped chicken should be juicy and caramelized. Repeat until all the chicken is fried then dab the outsides of the foil with a dry paper towel and serve.

  • Glutinous Rice Dumplings

    Glutinous Rice Dumplings (Hom Sui Gok)
    Glutinous Rice Dumplings (Hom Sui Gok)
    (Makes 20)


    Filling:
    3 dried black mushrooms
    3 dried shiitake mushrooms
    2½ ounces ground pork
    1½ ounces raw medium shrimp
    ¼ cup chopped green onion
    1 tablespoons sesame oil
    1 tablespoon soy sauce
    1 tablespoon oyster sauce
    1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine
    ½ teaspoon sugar
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon freshly-ground white pepper

    Wrapper:
    3/4 pound glutinous rice flour
    1/2 cup sugar
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 cup water
    3 tablespoons gin

    Vegetable oil for deep-frying



    NOTES: This is a Dim Sum Central recipe. I lowered the sesame oil from 2 tblsp to 1 and I substituted half the black fungus for shiitake mushrooms.
     

    Soften the dried mushrooms by soaking in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water, remove the stems and finely chop.

    Remove the shrimp shells, de-vein and mince.

    In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms, pork, shrimp, green onion, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster-flavored sauce, wine, sugar, salt and white pepper. Mix well.

    Fry the mix over med./ high heat for a few minutes until cooked through.

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, sugar and baking powder. Make a well in the center. Pour the water and gin into well, stirring with chopsticks or a fork until the dough forms a ball. Place dough onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.

    Cut the dough in half and roll each half into a 10-inch cylinder. Cut each cylinder into ten 1-inch pieces. Roll each portion into a ball and cover with a damp towel.

    With your finger tips flatten one portion of the dough into a 2-inch circle. Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling onto the circle and gather the edges together and pinch to seal. Roll into an oval shape. Continue until all the dumplings are prepared.

    Fry dumplings in 2 inches of oil heated to 350 degrees about 3 minutes until they float to the top and turn golden brown. Remove with the strainer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

  • Orange Sauce (for Orange Chicken)

    Orange Sauce

    Orange Sauce (for Orange Chicken) (Serves)


    ½ cup oyster sauce
    ½ cup sugar
    3 oz orange juice
    3 oz rice wine vinegar
    1 tblsp cornstarch, (mixed into the rice wine vinegar as a slurry)
    2 tblsp soy sauce
    1 tblsp hoisin sauce
    1½ tsp sweet paprika
    1 drop red food coloring, optional


    NOTES:
     

    Mix rice wine vinegar with corn starch, set aside. Mix all ingredients together, warm up on low heat, add the cornstarch/vinegar slurry, mix well, slowly bring up the heat until the desired consistency, a fairly thick sauce. Serve over crispy fried chicken and steamed broccoli and fried rice, garnish with some chopped green onions.

  • Pancit Bihon

    Pancit Bihon
    Pancit Bihon
    (Serves 8-10)


    3 tblsp vegetable or cannola oil
    6-9 cloves of garlic, crushed & roughly chopped
    1 tblsp oyster sauce
    2 tblsp soy sauce
    2 cups chicken stock
    8oz rice stick noodles (bihon)
    1½ cups green cabbage, sliced ¼ inch
    ¾ cup carrots, cut into thin match sticks
    ¾ cup celery, thinly sliced
    ½ lb small white shrimp, 51/60, deshelled and cleaned
    ½ lb sweet Longganisa sausage, cooked, sliced thin (Loganisa, Loganiza)
    1-2 tsp kosher salt
    1 tsp black pepper
    2 green onions, sliced thin, separate the green tops & the white ends


    NOTES: Thin pork strips, pork belly, boiled or grilled chicken can be substituted for the protein as well as beef stock, vegi stock or seafood stock for the chicken stock. You can substitute fish sauce for the oyster sauce. If you use Canton noodles (which are egg based) instead of or in addition to the rice stick noodles (bihon), change the name to Pancit Canton or Pancit bihon canton.
     

    In a large skillet, I used a 14", or a wide/deep pot, add the oil on medium low heat, add the garlic. Saute for about 3 or 4 minutes, increase the heat slightly to almost medium and add in the cleaned shrimp. At this point I add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Shortly after the shrimp are flipped over, after 2-3 minutes, add in the carrots and celery. Saute for another 3 minutes and add in the cabbage and sliced/cooked sweet Longganisa sausage.

    After the cabbage wilts, about 1 minute, add in the oyster sauce and soy sauce. Now add in the 2 cups of chicken stock (or whatever stock you are using).
    Bring to a boil and push the ingredients to each side leaving a channel of boiling liquid down the middle for the rice noodles to sit in. Using a utensil, hold the rice noodles down into the liquid, after about 3 minutes flip the noodle block over and soak the other side, you can lower the heat to a simmer, keeping the noodles as submerged as possible while they become more pliable and soft.

    Let simmer until the noodles soak up all the liquid and are tender.
    Mix in the sliced white bottoms of the green onions.

    Salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve topped with sliced green onion tops.

  • Salt and Pepper Pork Chops

    Salt and Pepper Pork
    Salt and Pepper Pork
    (Serves 2-4)


    Main Ingredients
    1 lb thin sliced pork loin or pork chops
    ¼ red bell pepper, chopped
    ¼ onion, chopped
    ¼ green bell pepper, chopped
    1 stalk green onion, thin slices
    ½ red chili pepper, thin slices
    2 cloves garlic, minced

    Marinade
    2 tblsp corn starch
    ½ tsp baking soda
    1 tblsp cooking wine
    1 tblsp oyster sauce
    1 tblsp light soy sauce
    1 tblsp water
    1 tsp sugar
    ½ tsp salt

    Other Ingredients
    2 cups vegetable oil
    ½ egg
    6 tbsp corn starch

    Seasoning 1 tsp garlic salt
    ¼ tsp salt
    ¼ tsp white pepper



    NOTES: If your using pork tenderloin, I don't think you need to tenderize the pork slices. At the end when adding the garlic powder, salt whit pepper mix, I do it per pork slice and don't use what is left over, if any.
     

    You can use other cuts of pork and depending on your cut of pork, you can tenderize the pork by using either a meat tenderizing mallet, or the back of your chef knife on both sides.

    Mix the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl and add the pork. Let marinate for 30-60 minutes.

    Chop all your main ingredient vegetables and set aside.

    After the pork has had time to marinate, heat the oil up in a sauce pan to 380°F. Meanwhile beat the ½ egg in a small bowl and pour the egg into the marinated pork and mix well.

    Add the cornstarch, 6 tbsp, onto a large plate. When the oil is at temperature, coat the pork chops or slices in the cornstarch and fry, one or two at a time until they are all fried a light golden brown. Now turn the oil up to 450°F. and fry the pork a second time for about 30 seconds and set aside.

    Now heat a wok or large frying pan on high heat, add 1 tsp oil, now add in the garlic, red chili pepper, and fry until it starts to be aromatic. Add the onion, bell peppers and fry for another 30 seconds.
    Add the scallions followed by all of the pork for about 30 seconds. Now gradually add in the seasoning to evenly coat all the pork chop pieces/slices.
    Cook for a further 20 seconds before turning off the heat.
    Continue mixing for 30 more seconds until the pork is evenly coated in the seasoning.

    Serve with a side of rice.