I’m sure we’ve all done it. We’ve decided to make an exotic recipe for a special occasion and bought a particular sauce or condiment for it that we would never otherwise use. Since then that bottle has been sitting at the back of the pantry or taking up space in the fridge while we try to work out what to do with the rest of it.
It was experiences like this that led me to the conclusion that, especially as a single, plain cook, I was much better off using a small but versatile selection of condiments and sauces rather than wasting money on ingredients that I might use only once or twice. This doesn’t preclude me from having one or two bottles of something a little exotic lurking in my fridge. We all have our little weaknesses.
To help out in such a situation, I’ve put together this entry which, by rights, should be called ‘Ways with 6 Exotic Sauces and Condiments.’
Of course, we might not all define ‘exotic’ in the same way. You might hardly ever use Basil Pesto, but I find it an essential, so it has an entry of its own: Things to do with Basil Pesto.
To get you started, I’ve provided a recipe culled from this website for each condiment. Alternatively, you can Google the following condiments and open up a world of possibilities.
Recipes:
Balsamic Vinegar
Both sweet and a little astringent, Balsamic Vinegar is an acquired taste but one that has become increasingly popular. It adds depth to a salad dressing, can be drizzled over a bruschetta or caprese, or even stirred into mayonnaise. You probably bought a bottle of Balsamic Vinegar as a salad dressing to impress your guests, but perhaps you prefer a milder salad dressing yourself and are wondering what to do with the rest of the bottle. Fortunately, Balsamic Vinegar can also be used in your cooking.
You can make a European style stir fry by substituting it for soy sauce, or you can drizzle it over roast vegetables. It can be used as a basis for marinades and sauces for chicken or meat. It can also give an extra shot of flavour to a pasta sauce or one-pot meal.
In this recipe, Balsamic Vinegar is used to give a Tasty Marinade depth and sweetness as well as astringency. For the standard recipe, which uses lemon juice for astringency and soy sauce for depth, or to find more marinades, see the entry Tasty Marinades from the Pantry.
Tasty Balsamic Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- Dried onion, garlic, pepper and chilli or paprika.
- Mix all the ingredients together
- Place 100–125gm beef or lamb in the marinade and seal tightly
- Let stand for 15–30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge
- Meat can be baked, grilled or pan fried
Sweet Chilli Sauce
You most likely bought a bottle of Sweet Chilli Sauce for a party as a dipping sauce for Asian finger food. I know I did, but then acquired a taste for it, so now I like to have a bottle in the fridge, even if it does take me a while to get through it.
On its own, you can serve Sweet Chilli Sauce as an alternative to tomato or barbeque sauce with your burger or steak, or you can use it to add a spicy boost to your homemade tomato or sweet and sour sauces. My favourite is to use it as a spicy alternative to jam. It goes well on cream cheese and can even be added to a toasted cheese sandwich to give it a flavour boost.
In your cooking, it can be used as a stir fry sauce on its own for making dishes such as Chilli Prawns or Chicken Ribs, or added to the sauce for a stir fry or sweet and sour, or included in a marinade. It can add zing to a salad dressing or be stirred into mayonnaise. It can also be used as a milder alternative for chilli in a pasta sauce or one-pot meal.
In this recipe, Sweet Chilli Sauce is used to add a quick shot of spiciness to a Spicy Tomato Sauce. For the standard recipe, which uses garlic, chilli and pepper for spiciness, or for more quick and healthy sauces, see the entry Quick and Easy Sauces from the Pantry.
Spicy Tomato Sauce
- ¼ cup red capsicum, chopped
- 3–4 cherry tomatoes
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- ½ tsp. crushed garlic
- 1–2 tsp. sweet chilli sauce
- Pierce the cherry tomatoes
- Steep capsicum and tomatoes in boiling water for 10–15 minutes and drain
- Peel tomatoes
- Place tomatoes and capsicum in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste, garlic and sweet chilli sauce
- Liquidise thoroughly
- Microwave on high for 30 seconds (optional)
Oyster Sauce
As its name suggests, Oyster Sauce is made from boiled oysters, sugar, salt and soy sauce, resulting in a dense, dark sauce that is sweet and salty (though not fishy), and with a rich, umami flavour. (Obviously, this sauce is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians who might prefer Dark Soy or Teriyaki Sauce.)
Oyster Sauce is widely used in Chinese cooking, especially in stir fries where it can be substituted for soy sauce. It can be used to add depth of flavour to soups, pasta sauces and one-pot meals, or used in a marinade or glaze for meat or chicken. It can also be used as a dipping sauce on its own or in combination with other ingredients.
In this recipe, Oyster Sauce has been reinstated as an intrinsic ingredient in the traditional Chinese recipe Egg Foo Young. To see the standard recipe, in which soy sauce is substituted for the Oyster Sauce, as well as other hearty egg dishes, see the entry Eggs for Brunch or Lunch (1): On the Stovetop.
Egg Foo Young
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. diced bacon
- ½ cup cos or iceberg lettuce, sliced finely (or ½ cup bean shoots)
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- 1½ tsp. oyster sauce
- Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
- 3 tsp. cornflour
- Canola oil
- To make sauce, dissolve stock powder, 5 spices, 1 tsp. oyster sauce and 2 tsp. cornflour in ½ cup cold water
- Microwave on high in 30 second bursts and stir until thickened
- Dissolve 1 tsp. cornflour in 1 tbsp. cold water
- Whisk in the egg with ½ tsp. oyster sauce, pepper and 1 tsp. canola oil
- Sauté onion and diced bacon in a frying pan or wok
- Add lettuce and stir until wilted
- Pour in egg and use a spatula to push the edge towards the centre and let uncooked egg flow underneath
- When underside is cooked fold egg and remove pan from heat
- Place omelette on plate and pour sauce over
Variation: serve omelette on a heated serve of microwave rice
Hoisin Sauce
Hoisin sauce is a dark, thick sauce with a tangy, sweet and spicy flavour. It’s made from fermented soybean paste with a variety of additional ingredients such as fennel, red chilli peppers, garlic, vinegar, five-spice powder and sugar. You might have bought it to serve with Peking Duck, which is certainly one of my favourite Chinese dishes. However, as much as we love Peking Duck, it isn’t something we’re likely to have at home on our own very often.
As it has a strong taste, it might be best to use Hoisin Sauce sparingly to begin with. However, like several other Asian sauces, it can be substituted for soy sauce in a stir fry and goes especially well with beef. It can also be included in a marinade for meat or chicken. Hoisin Sauce can be used as a dipping sauce on its own or in combination with other ingredients. It can also be combined with peanut butter to make the traditional dipping sauce for Vietnamese rice paper rolls.
In this recipe, Hoisin Sauce is used to give an extra source of spiciness to Pepper Steak. To see the standard recipe, and more stir-fried beef recipes, see the entry One Pot Main Courses: Beef.
Pepper Steak
- 100–125gm lean minced or sliced beef
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- ¾ cup red and/or green capsicum, sliced
- Ginger and garlic
- Black pepper (preferably cracked)
- ½ tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. hoisin sauce
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- ½ tsp. cornflour
- Canola oil
- Mix together vegetable oil, honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, stock powder, ginger, garlic and a generous amount of black pepper
- Marinade beef in mixture for 15–30 minutes
- Stir fry beef in marinade until browned
- Add capsicum and onion and stir fry
- Dissolve cornflour in a little cold water and add
- Stir fry until sauce thickens
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce is one of the basic ingredients in South-East Asian cooking. A rich, translucent reddish-golden brown in colour, it’s made from fish, usually anchovies, and salt that has been allowed to ferment for up to two years. While it’s primarily used in Asian cuisine today, fish sauce is believed to date back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who called it ‘garum’. It’s a common condiment on South-East Asian tables and is added to food the way Europeans might add salt and pepper.
As a great favourite in South-East Asian cuisine, Fish Sauce features in a wide variety of dishes such as stir fries, soups and noodle dishes. It can be used in marinades and sauces for meat, chicken and fish, in a salad dressing or in a dipping sauce. It can also be used as a substitute for anchovies or shrimp paste.
The traditional recipe for Caesar Salad includes anchovies in the dressing, which is much too fussy for a single serve. A little Fish Sauce is used in this recipe for an Easy Caesar Salad instead. For the standard recipe, which uses soy instead of fish sauce, and other hearty salads based on lettuce, see the entry Things to do with Lettuce.
Easy Caesar Salad
- 1½ cups cos or iceberg lettuce leaves, torn
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. diced bacon (or chopped roast chicken)
- 1 slice wholegrain bread, toasted
- 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
- Lightly poach the egg (see below)
- Whisk the lemon juice and fish sauce into the mayonnaise
- Cut the toast into small squares
- In a 1 litre bowl, toss together the torn lettuce with the diced bacon, toasted squares and shredded Parmesan cheese
- Top with the poached egg
- Cut up egg, drizzle with dressing and toss salad lightly
Tip: for Step 1, you can poach the egg either On the Stovetop or In the Microwave.
Sesame Oil
Derived from toasted sesame seeds, Sesame Oil is a dark amber oil which is a key ingredient in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisine. Valued for its flavour and fragrance, Sesame Oil is used in Asian cooking as a seasoning rather than a cooking oil. It’s generally added in small quantities in the last stages of cooking a stir fry or used in marinades, dressings and sauces. (A light sesame oil made from untoasted sesame seeds is also available, but it is used for cooking rather than flavouring.)
As well as in stir fries, Sesame Oil can be used in dipping sauces, marinades and salad dressings and drizzled over roast vegetables. It can also be used as a substitute for tahini (sesame seed paste) in dips and sauces.
The classic dip made from chickpeas is Hummus, which contains tahini. Sesame Oil is used instead of tahini in this Chickpea Dip recipe to provide the sesame flavour. To see the standard recipe, or other quick and easy dips, see the entry Quick and Healthy Snacks: Homemade Dips.
Chickpea Dip
- 1 x 125gm can chickpeas
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- Garlic and mild curry powder
- Empty the chickpeas together with the canning water into the small cup of a bullet blender
- Add the remaining ingredients
- Process until smooth