Oyster sauce

Oyster sauce, or oyster oil, is quite a popular staple in Asian cuisine. It is especially popular in China. Its salty oyster flavor and spicy aroma charmed gourmets of Thai, Vietnamese and Khmer cuisines. And now they are actively winning the hearts of fans of East Asian cuisine around the world. This thick, dark brown condiment is often confused with fish sauce. But this is far from the case: fish and oyster sauces are completely different in taste, color, production technology and scope. A few centuries ago, an oyster product meant bechamel sauce, popular in French and British cuisines, generously flavored with oysters.

A bit of history

There is an unconfirmed theory that oyster sauce as a condiment has been known for many centuries, and has been used since the days of ancient Chinese civilization. Some historians attribute its origin to the ancient Roman fish sauce garum. In general, there are many stories and legends about the origin of this seasoning. According to one version, it appeared thanks to a poor Chinese fisherman who fell asleep while making oyster soup. And when he remembered about it, a completely new fragrant and tasty dish appeared before him.

The second version says that aging makes this sauce much tastier and gives it better taste. A small diner on the shores of the South China Sea mistakenly forgot a bowl of sauce in the window. But in spite of everything, the seasoning not only did not deteriorate, but became even more saturated, acquired a brighter taste and a rich juicy aroma.

Well, the most common and true story is that the product owes its origin to the chef of a small cafe in Guangzhou – Lee Kum Sang. This cafe is not particularly remarkable from other establishments. Served here quite uncomplicated dishes. But at one point, Lee accidentally invented a new dish, noticing that with long-term processing of oysters, you can get a fragrant and tasty product. And then everything changed: the resourceful chef created his own company for the production of sauces Lee Kum Kee, where the leading place was given to the signature oyster seasoning. The popularity of this product has increased markedly and today this company is a leading manufacturer of both oyster sauce and other traditional Chinese spices. ^[1].

The composition and useful properties of the product

The energy value of oyster sauce is 121 kcal. The protein content is 3,5 grams, the carbohydrate part accounts for about 21,3 grams.

The basis for this product is an extract or extract from oysters, and the presence of starch, caramel and water can also be noted in its composition. Oyster sauce is rich in vitamins and minerals, which make up its useful and valuable qualities. The vitamin composition is distinguished by a decent content of B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid and cobalamin, choline), ascorbic acid and vitamin PP.

The mineral complex, in turn, is represented by calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, selenium, iron, copper, sodium and phosphorus.

It also contains amino acids vital for the human body, as well as dietary fiber and sterol, which can inhibit the development of harmful cholesterol plaques and prevent the accumulation of this substance.

Regular consumption of this herb can help:

• increase immunity;
• normalization of metabolism;
• improvement of appetite;
• neutralization of stressful conditions and depressive syndrome;
• stable work of the nervous and digestive systems;
• stimulation of the brain;
• improvement of the liver and circulatory system.

Oyster sauce is also valuable because it contains glucose, thanks to which the body is charged with energy and vivacity, efficiency and creativity are significantly increased. Perhaps that is why, in the countries of Southeast Asia, which have long been using this seasoning for food, unemployment is low, and those who work are tuned in to cheerfulness and optimism.

Cooking application

Most of all, this sauce is suitable for meat and vegetables. It ennobles and enhances the taste of pork and beef dishes; vegetables cooked with it have a delicate salty aftertaste. It is often used as an additive to rice, Japanese noodles, soups and dim sums. With its help, some types of stir fries are prepared. But seafood and fish are not often processed with them. You can, of course, if you wish, use it for cooking chicken and shrimp, but it is better to replace it with a sauce that is more compatible with these products.

As a rule, this product is used in heat treatment, because this way the taste of dishes is better revealed. It is traditional to use oyster sauce when frying food in a thick-walled vogue pan. But at the same time, many valuable elements that make up its composition are lost, so it is best to add this seasoning at the stage of completion of cooking. It, like soy sauce, is often used as a substitute for salt, so it is most often consumed with salty dishes.

When cold, it can be served with sushi or teriyaki dishes, used as a seasoning for various salads, and is also considered an amazing meat marinade.

The use of oyster sauce itself does not imply the use of a large amount of spices in a dish so that its taste is not drowned in their aroma, but it pairs quite successfully with some of them, for example, with such products as ginger, sesame, lemongrass, galangal and coriander.

The cooking process

Sauce from natural oyster meat has not been prepared for quite a long time, as it is an unreasonably expensive pleasure. Now oyster extract is widely used, which can be easily found on supermarket shelves. With this product, cooking oyster sauce at home will not be any problem.

This will require:

• corn or potato starch;
• caramel or burnt sugar;
• flavor enhancer – monosodium glutamate;
• soy sauce;
• water;
• oyster extract;
• sugar.

To prepare, you need to mix all the ingredients and boil over a fire until a thick, viscous consistency. As soon as this happens, the sauce must be removed from the stove and cooled.

If the question arises of using a synthetic flavor enhancer, then it can be replaced with a similar, but more expensive natural option, or completely excluded from the recipe. What is characteristic – even in Chinese cuisine, a cheaper preparation is traditionally used.

Glossy roast sauce

For preparation you will need:

• shiitake mushrooms;
• courgette;
• sweet bell pepper;
• oyster sauce – 2 tablespoons;
• sugar – 1 teaspoon;
• water.

Fry the mushrooms, add zucchini and pepper to them. Prepare sauce from oyster sauce, water and sugar. Add it to the dish and fry until the vegetables are covered with a beautiful glossy sheen. The sauce should be added in the last minutes before the end of cooking to give the dish a refined taste and exquisite aroma.

How to choose and store

When choosing a product in a store, first of all, you need to pay attention to its composition. At the same time, the main points can be noted: you need to choose a sauce with a high content (about 20%) of natural oyster extract and look for a product containing a minimum amount of artificial preservatives.

If the label says “Oyster Sauce” and the content of oyster extract is at least 20 percent, then we can safely say that the product is natural. If it is labeled “Oyster Flavored”, then this is a product with the taste of oyster sauce.

Store oyster sauce in the refrigerator.

Harm and Hazardous Properties

Due to the presence of glucose in its composition, it is contraindicated to use this sauce for diabetes and obesity. This also includes a decent calorie content of the product, so people who follow their figure should use it with caution. Since its salty-sweet taste can irritate the intestinal walls, it is not recommended to use this sauce during an exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, do not use it for allergies to fish and seafood.

In store copies, you can often find the presence of artificial preservatives and flavor enhancers that can cause irreparable harm to health. ^[2][3].

Conclusions

Oyster sauce is a traditional Chinese savory condiment that is dark brown in color and has a sweet-salty taste. It is known and popular far beyond China and Southeast Asia. This well-proven product is often used in European cuisine to give dishes a brighter and richer taste. It is often used to prepare various cold dishes, but it acquires special value during heat treatment. Then its unique taste and aroma is fully revealed. Oyster sauce is a supplier of glucose for the body, thanks to which the body feels an incredible surge of strength and energy, its performance increases and mental activity improves. A natural product can be easily prepared at home with quality ingredients, while on the supermarket shelves, at best, you can find only a slightly similar product containing a meager amount of oyster extract. It is not recommended to use this sauce for obesity and diabetes, as well as for various diseases of the digestive tract.

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