You’ll want to paint a swath of this sticky, flavor-popping sauce on just about anything! It’s great for salmon, chicken, stir fries, and more (one reader used it for meatballs, which sounds delicious). Alex and I first made it for this Honey Garlic Salmon, which was so good we’ve been making the sauce ever since.
Soy sauce: We use regular soy sauce for the most full flavor (not low sodium). Substitute tamari for gluten-free. Honey: Honey brings a nuanced sweetness. For vegan, substitute maple syrup. Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is a vinegar made with fermented rice that’s often used in Asian cuisine; it has a lightly sweet, tangy flavor. Olive oil: Olive oil is our preferred cooking oil, but you can substitute with any neutral oil. Sesame oil would work well here. Garlic and garlic powder: For a flavor packed sauce, use both fresh garlic (not jarred) and garlic powder. Ginger root: Ginger root packs spicy, zingy flavor to this sauce. You can leave it out if it’s not a refrigerator staple for you, but it adds a depth that we think is absolutely worth the purchase. Cornstarch: Cornstarch gives a shiny, thick body to the sauce (arrowroot powder works as a good substitute).
If dry cornstarch is added directly to heated foods, it clumps up. It’s best to add it to sauces and stir fries mixed with a little liquid first. Cornstarch must be heated to around 203°F for the thickening to occur. It’s called “starch gelatinization”: the process where the the particles of cornstarch absorb water. You’ll notice that once you add the cornstarch slurry to the warm sauce, it immediately starts to thicken: the starch gelatinization has been activated!
Salmon: Brush it onto honey garlic salmon, grilled salmon, baked salmon, or pan fried salmon before and after cooking. Chicken: Use for grilled chicken, chicken thighs, or wings. Tofu: Try it with baked tofu or pan fried tofu. Stir fries: Try in shrimp stir fry, cauliflower stir fry or tofu stir fry. Vegetables: Add it to fried broccoli or sauteed carrots.
5 from 5 reviews
Go for pomodoro sauce or arrabiata sauce. Grab zingy Spanish romesco sauce. Make garlic butter sauce, lemon garlic butter sauce, or lemon pepper sauce. Opt for fresh chimichurri sauce or our fan-favorite pizza sauce recipe.
