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XO Sauce

Irresistible XO Sauce: Elevate Your Dishes with Umami Bliss

Discover how to make homemade XO Sauce, a luxurious umami-packed condiment that elevates your dishes to a new level of flavor.
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Uncategorized
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 60
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Sauce Base
  • 1 cup Dried Shrimp Substitute with more scallops for vegetarian
  • 1 cup Dried Scallop Consider rehydrated options like dried squid if unavailable
  • 2 pieces Large Chili Adjust according to your spice preference
  • 4 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
  • 2 pieces Red Shallot Yellow onion can be used as an alternative
For the Seasoning
  • 100 grams Smoked Ham Replace with cured prosciutto if Jinhua ham is hard to find
  • 1 teaspoon Chicken Bouillon Powder Omit for vegetarian version
  • 1 teaspoon Salt Adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar Tweak according to taste preference
  • 2 tablespoons Chili Bean Sauce (Toban Djan) Look for this at Asian markets
For Cooking
  • 2 cups Oil Neutral oil to let flavors shine
  • 1 cup Shaoxing Rice Wine Can be substituted with dry sherry if necessary

Equipment

  • Medium pan
  • Airtight jar

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions for XO Sauce
  1. Soak the dried shrimp and scallops in cool water for 2 hours, or overnight.
  2. In a medium pan, heat 2 cups of neutral oil over medium heat until shimmering.
  3. Add finely chopped garlic, large chili, and red shallots to the pan and sauté for about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the fried scallops back, along with soaked shrimp, diced smoked ham, and seasonings.
  5. Pour in the reserved soaking liquid and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour.
  6. Stir in the Shaoxing rice wine and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  7. Cool before transferring to a clean airtight jar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 300mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g

Notes

Top the finished sauce with a thin layer of oil before sealing to extend freshness.

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