XO Jiang

XO Jiang（XO醤）

This Chinese sauce has been called the "Caviar of the Orient." I'm not quite sure the actual history of this sauce - maybe legends and myths about who invented it using what ingredients... But I feel it's one of those sauces that any cook who enjoys experimenting with Asian flavors should have in her pantry. It can be quite expensive if bought at the store - a little bottle can cost $10-$15 when other sauces are in the $2 range. You can, of course, try to make your own using various online recipes. But I believe XO sauce is one of those vague sauces where core ingredients may be the same, but it varies depending on who's the chef, who are the eaters, where you're from, etc. etc.

Here is one recipe, on saveur.com via LA chef Sang Yoon:

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1 1/4 oz. dried scallops
1/2 oz. dried octopus
1/4 oz. dried shrimp
1/8 oz. dried mackerel
5 cloves garlic cloves
1 stalk lemongrass, stemmed, tough outer leaves discarded, inner core chopped
1 shallot
3 tbsp. Chinese cooking wine
1 1/2 tbsp. dark brown sugar or palm sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. fermented bean paste (dou ban jiang)
1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup dark Asian sesame oil

Combine dried seafood in a medium bowl and cover with warm water; let soak until soft, about 1 hour. Drain seafood and transfer to a food processor along with the garlic, lemongrass, and shallot. Process into a coarse paste. Add wine, sugar, bean paste, and soy sauce and pulse to combine.

Heat peanut oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add seafood mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cook, stirring, until evaporated, about 5 minutes more. Stir in sesame oil and transfer mixture to a clean jar; let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
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It's hard to describe the taste of this...
It definitely has a strong taste of dried fish and shrimp. I was raised with those flavors, so it doesn't gross me out at all. But, I also feel these aren't flavors that are too OUT THERE and really requires an acquired taste. Used with other condiments and flavors, XO sauce really blends well in a lot of stir-fries, stews, meat dishes, etc. My take: just try it. Even just a teaspoon in an Asian stir-fry you're trying will make a big difference. You can even try it - mixed with maybe some stock, vinegar, soy sauce, scallions - as a dipping sauce for hot pot.