Pantry and Equipment
Essential Chinese Sauces
Essential Chinese sauces should be understood by function: salt, color, sweetness, umami, fermentation, heat, acidity, and finishing aroma.
Practical guide
| Item or category | What it does | Buying or use note |
|---|---|---|
| Light soy sauce | Salt and soy aroma. | Contains soy and often wheat. |
| Dark soy sauce | Color and gloss. | Not a one-for-one light soy replacement. |
| Oyster sauce | Sweet-savory body. | Shellfish unless vegetarian. |
| Hoisin sauce | Sweet fermented glaze or dip. | Soy, wheat, sesame possible. |
| Doubanjiang | Fermented Sichuan chile-bean base. | Soy or broad bean, wheat possible. |
| Shacha sauce | Savory hot pot and stir-fry sauce. | Dried seafood, shellfish, soy possible. |
| Chile crisp | Heat, oil, crunch. | Peanuts, sesame, soy, wheat possible. |
Buying principle
Buy for the dishes you actually cook. A smaller pantry used often is better than a larger pantry of bottles that oxidize, expire, or sit unused.