In this second part of our tour, we dive into more Iconic Southeast Asian Sauces, unveiling flavors that have delighted palates across the globe. Southeast Asia, also known as the Orient, is home to the most diverse cuisine anywhere on the planet. The overarching cornerstone of this cuisine is the balance of flavours. Sweet, salty, sour, spicy, bitter and umami are its most prominent pillars. These flavours are best expressed in the myriad variety of sauces present in this cuisine. In the first of this two part special, we explore 5 of the most iconic sauces that Southeast Asian cuisine is known for. Let’s conclude this trip by quickly exploring the rest.
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Sriracha: The Spicy Star of Iconic Southeast Asian Sauces
Probably the most iconic of all Southeast Asian sauces, Sriracha (pronounced Si-ra-cha) is a hot sauce, made from bird’s-eye chillies, vinegar, garlic and sugar. A spicy, yet tangy (thanks to the vinegar) sauce, it is very versatile and can be used in marinades, as a dipping sauce and since it pairs well with sour-cream and mayo, even creamy, piquant dips. Sriracha is one of Southeast Asia’s greatest gifts to the culinary world. It is very popular the world over and nowhere more so than in the US. Meishi Sriracha Sauce is an authentic, Sriracha experience and is a perfect accompaniment, or marinade base.
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Soy Sauce: A Staple in Iconic Southeast Asian Sauces
One of the pillars of Southeast Asian cuisine, Soy sauce is as ubiquitous to Asian kitchens as Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce is to Western cuisine. The ideal soy sauce is an amalgamation of all tastes, sweet, salty, umami, bitter, sour and spice. Southeast Asian cuisine is known for using Soy sauce as a fundamental ingredient in dishes. From a dipping sauce in Sushi, to a flavouring agent in stir-fries, noodles, and fried rice; this is one unmissable ingredient in all of them. Meishi Soy Sauce is a Japanese style soy sauce, which is naturally brewed and classified as a ‘koikuchi’ or standard soy sauce.
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Spicy Teriyaki Sauce
It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that Teriyaki is a Japanese obsession. In fact, almost all proteins (veggies, vegan, seafood and meats) have an iconic teriyaki dish associated with them. Teriyaki sauce is considered to be an ideal base for a wide variety of sauces and marinades. This makes it an extremely versatile ingredient that opens your cooking up to many different possibilities. Meishi Spicy Teriyaki Sauce helps you to create rich and hot and spicy Teriyaki dishes. Just brush the sauce on cooked meat or seafood after grilling or baking for sizzling Teriyaki flavour or simply pour it over steamed or fried rice stir-fry vegetables.
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XO Sauce
XO Sauce has its roots in Hong Kong. Some food historians credit the popularity of this sauce to migrant Chinese families from Guangdong province of Southern China. The intense, umami packed rich flavour of this sauce is thanks to the concentration of dried or fried shallots (a small red onion). Many iconic HK street foods have a prominent flavour of this sauce either as a base or flavouring. Meishi XO Sauce is the perfect addition to your Southeast Asian flavour game and is sure to amaze your guests. Use it liberally in your BBQ dishes, as a meat marinade or even as a dipping sauce.
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Chilli Black Bean Paste
While technically not a sauce, Chilli Black Bean paste is often used as one (a dipping sauce, that is). Chilli Black Bean paste, as the name suggests, is an amalgamation of chillies, fermented black beans and hot-chilli oil. The resulting rich, spicy, yet creamy paste can be used in a number of dishes, including stir-fries, noodles, fried rice, and even in non oriental cuisines, and dishes like burgers and pizzas. Meishi Chilli Black Bean Paste is a multi-faceted, umami bomb which is a must have for every Southeast Asian cuisine enthusiast.
With our exploration of Iconic Southeast Asian Sauces complete, the only question left is, which one are you most eager to try?