Martin Yan - Housin Sauce

"The more you understand the ingredients, the better cook you will become."
-Martin Yan

These are common ingredients found in local cuisine. You can find these ingredients readily available in your local supermarket.

Housin Sauce

A robust combination of fermented soybeans, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and spices is the basis for hoisin sauce. This thick, granular sauce has a spicy-sweet flavor that compliments many dishes. Its deep, rich reddish-brown color accents American roasts as well as Asian stir-fries and barbecues. A sauce similar to hoisin sauce is chee hou sauce, which has a spicier flavor.

Hoisin sauce often accompanies crepe-like Mandarin pancakes or steamed buns, which are served with Mu Shu and Peking duck dishes. Use hoisin sauce or chee hou sauce as a base for creating savory barbecue sauces and dipping sauces for meats and poultry.

Hoisin sauce and chee hou sauce are available in various sized bottles and jars. Refrigerate opened bottles and jars. They will keep for a year.

Adapted from Martin Yan’s A Simple Chinese Ingredient Guide