As far as Chinese cuisine is concerned, sauces are almost indispensable. There are different types of sauces that are Chinese in origin and oyster sauce is one among them. As the name rightly suggests, this sauce is made with oysters and this sauce is used in a wide range of Chinese recipes. Apart from Chinese cuisine, oyster sauce is an indispensable ingredient in Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine too.
Traditionally, oyster sauce is prepared by condensing oyster broth (made by boiling oysters in water). The oyster broth is reduced, till it becomes viscous and brown in color. Earlier, no additives were added to this sauce. Today, oyster sauce available in the market contain caramel coloring, starch, oyster extracts and preservatives. A vegetarian version of this sauce is also available and is made with mushrooms, especially oyster mushrooms. Oyster sauce enhances the flavor of various meat and vegetable dishes. It is a common ingredient in noodle stir-fries and stir-fried vegetables. Some people use this sauce as a topping. If you want to prepare some recipe that calls for this sauce, then, you may use the sauce itself or its substitutes. A basic understanding about oyster sauce substitutes will prove useful, in case you run out of this sauce.
Oyster Sauce Substitution
In almost all food recipes that require oyster sauce as an ingredient, the flavor is mostly imparted by this sauce. So, there is no point in preparing the dish without adding this sauce. Sometimes, it may happen that you run out of the sauce and realize it, only when you are halfway through the preparation. It is better to add some alternative to oyster sauce rather than ignoring it.
Other Sauces: Most people use soy sauce as an oyster sauce substitute, as the former provides color and some flavor to the dish. You may also add half a teaspoon of sugar to the soy sauce. Some people add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to soy sauce, which is meant to replace oyster sauce. Even fish sauce is used as a replacement for oyster sauce in some food recipes. You may use the one that is best suited for the dish as per your choice (and the flavor of the dish). However, it cannot be a perfect replacement as there will be some difference in flavor.
Vegan Substitute: Another option is to prepare a vegetarian substitute for oyster sauce. This will be more useful for vegans. All you have to do is to dissolve one mushroom broth cube in half a cup of boiling water. Add two tablespoons of brown bean sauce and one tablespoon of unprocessed sugar to the solution. Allow it to boil for sometime and then add cornstarch mixed with water (one teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in one teaspoon of cold water). Stir the boiling solution, till it thickens. Your oyster sauce substitute is ready.
Homemade Oyster Sauce: You can easily prepare oyster sauce at home, with the following ingredients. Drain oysters from half a pound of shucked oysters (with liquid) and keep aside the liquid. Mince the drained oysters and add one tablespoon of water and the reserved liquid to it. Take a saucepan and boil the mixture. Once it is boiled, simmer for around ten minutes. Then, remove the saucepan from heat, add salt and let it cool. Sieve the mixture and add two tablespoons of light soy sauce for every half cup of the mixture. The next step is to add half tablespoon of dark soy sauce. Now, boil the solution and simmer for about ten minutes. Your homemade oyster sauce is ready and can be used as substitute for regular one.
These substitutes may alter the taste and flavor of the dish to some extent. While soy sauce and fish sauce may not exactly replace oyster sauce in flavor, sauce prepared from mushrooms could be a better option. Homemade substitute can be more effective, as compared to other options. You may try these methods and find the perfect one for your recipe.
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