Tuesday's Cupful: Oyster-Flavored Sauce

Story behind the Chinese food staple

You might have tried Chinese entrees made with oyster-flavored sauce at your local Chinese carryout. Authentic Asian oyster-flavored sauce is a byproduct of boiling oysters. Lee Kum Kee was the first company to mass produce this tasty sauce and sell it back in 1888. Makers of this condiment add sugar, salt, and cornstarch. These sauces tend to be rich, thick, and dark brown in color. There really is a distinct savory taste that’s nowhere near fishy in flavor. Cooks use oyster-flavored sauce in different savory dishes that may contain poultry, seafood, and meat. Look for bottled oyster-flavored sauce in the International Foods Aisle of many supermarkets. Expect to find this ingredient in Cantonese, Thai, and Filipino recipes. Note that many brands contain MSG. Meanwhile, some cheaper oyster-flavored sauces substitute oyster extract (made mostly with mushrooms) for real oyster broth in their sauce recipes.