Issue of Feb. 20, 2009 / 26 Shevat 5769
As an experiment, a foodie friend suggested that I replace the salt I
used in some of my recipes with a splash of soy sauce. "Soy sauce," I
repeated, in a tone meant to convey interest while simultaneously
rolling my eyes to convey skepticism. "OK, I'll try that."
To my surprise and delight, substituting soy sauce for salt was a
wonderful suggestion and really added flavor and body to many of the
recipes. I tried it with seafood, meat, vegetables, salad dressings
and even a few pasta sauces. The result of my experiment: A fresh,
well-balanced flavor without overwhelming other flavors in a dish.
Cream sauces had a slightly nuttier flavor and tomato sauce seemed to
be less acidic. While I can absolutely recommend soy sauce as a change
of pace, I still prefer it in Oriental/Asian dishes, specifically, stir fry sauces.
Discovered in China more than 2,500 years ago, soy sauce is thought
to be one of the world's oldest condiments. It is a cornerstone of
many Asian cuisines, especially sauces. Soy sauce is never the main
ingredient of any sauce; rather, it's the one ingredient that binds
the others together to make the unique characteristics of the
individual ingredients come together to "pop."
There are two types of natural soy sauce available (I say stay away
from the synthetic stuff — I don't think it tastes anywhere near as
good as the real stuff), light and dark.
Soy sauce is made from soybeans that are mixed with roasted grain
(usually wheat, rice or barley) and fermented for several months. Once
the process is completed the mixture is strained and bottled. Dark soy
is aged longer than light soy and has a darker color and thicker
texture. Light soy is lighter in color and, surprisingly, has a
saltier flavor. Light soy sauce is best used in stir-fry cooking, as
the darker color and stronger flavor of dark soy sauce can overwhelm
the taste of light flavored ingredients. Dark soy is typically used in
red meat dishes and is good for marinating. Some say that tamari
sauce, a type of soy sauce made without wheat and using a different
fermentation process is too sweet to be substituted for soy sauce. Not
so, in my opinion. I do use it when I'm cooking a lighter fish or
vegetable dish.
The possibilities are endless and so are the recipes. The following
recipes are a laundry list of classic sauces that can be used with
your favorite vegetables, meats or seafood, as well as a few recipes
just for fun.
STIR FRY SAUCE (Meat)
In a small sauce pan heat the sesame oil. Add the ginger and garlic
and stir-fry 15-30 seconds over medium heat. Add the chicken broth,
soy sauce, brown sugar, Tabasco, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Bring
just to a boil, stirring. In a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in
the wine and then whisk the mixture into the sauce. Heat until sauce
thickens and reaches a full boil. Simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from
the heat and set aside. Stir fry your choices of meat or poultry till
almost done, add the veggies, cook to heat throughout and then add the
sauce. Cook just to heat and serve. Makes approx. 1 cup sauce. This
recipe can be doubled or tripled.
EFFORTLESS SZECHWAN SAUCE (meat)
Lots of ingredients but simple to make
Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the ginger and garlic and saute
1 minute until softened but not browned. In a bowl combine the
remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch mixture. Add them to
the saucepan and bring to a simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove
star anise. Whisk in the corn starch mixture and let boil 1-2 minutes.
Taste and add more Tabasco if desired.
ORANGE STIR FRY SAUCE (pareve)
In a bowl combine the orange juice, tamari sauce, ginger, garlic,
honey and sesame oil. Place the cornstarch into a bowl; whisk the
liquid mixture into it. Set aside, but keep the whisk handy, as you
will need to whisk the sauce again just before you pour it into the
saute. Add this sauce to a wok full of vegetables about 2/3 of the way
through cooking. Make sure you stir your veggies so that the sauce
coats them. Cook until the veggies are done and the sauce starts to
thicken and then serve. Makes 1 cup.
GARLIC GINGER STIR FRY SAUCE (pareve)
In a bowl mix all the ingredients together and set it aside. After
stir-frying veggies or tofu or meat/seafood reduce the heat and add
sauce. Stir for about 2 more minutes and then serve immediately. Makes
1/2 cup. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE (pareve)
In a bowl combine water and cornstarch, mix and set aside. In a small
saucepan combine the pineapple juice, sugar, vinegar, ketchup and soy
sauce. Stir over low heat until hot, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in
cornstarch mixture until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
PEANUT SAUCE (meat or pareve)
Warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan and keep warm on low heat.
Process the peanut butter, garlic cloves, cilantro and sugar in a
blender or food processor. Slowly add the warmed chicken broth and
process again. Remove from the blender and stir in the soy sauce, and
the chili powder to taste. Serve peanut sauce with satay and salads,
or as an appetizer dip. Makes 1 cup. This recipe can be doubled or
tripled.
KOREAN SESAME DIPPING SAUCE (pareve)
This sauce can be served cold or room temperature for dipping and is
great warm poured over steamed vegetables
Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar in a small bowl.
In a small, heavy, dry skillet over medium heat, add the sesame seeds
and stir until they darken a bit. Remove and crush seeds. Add to soy
mixture with sugar and scallions. Makes 1/2 cup. This recipe can be
doubled or tripled.
STIR FRY GREEN BEANS WITH PEANUTS (pareve)
Cut beans into one-inch slices. Heat peanut oil in wok until it just
begins to smoke. Toss in garlic and ginger root. Add beans and onions
and stir-fry for two minutes. Add wine, peanuts and sugar, and
continue to stir-fry until the wine has evaporated. Add the soy sauce
just before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
CHINESE TOMATO SPINACH SAUCE WITH BEEF (meat)
In a bowl combine the cornstarch, soy sauce and sherry. Whisk to
combine and add pieces of beef. Toss to coat. Heat oil in large
saucepan. Add beef mixture and stir fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the
broth, tomatoes and spinach. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally.
Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes and serve. Serves 3 to 4.