A Kosher Oyster Sauce Substitute
Andrea writes in asking about a good substitute for “oyster sauce,” a common ingredient in Asian cuisine. Oyster sauce, unlike “lobster sauce,” actually contains its namesake shellfish, so some serious research is necessary. Here goes.
About.com provides the first clue:
“Although the Buddhist vegetarian diet does permit the eating of oysters, vegetarian brands, often using mushrooms as a substitute, are available. Oyster sauce is normally sold in bottles; refrigerate after opening. If purchased in a can, transfer to a closed jar and refrigerate.”
Ah, vegetarian brands, perfect. Oh, none of them are kosher? Hmph.
For this reason alone (and only this reason) we can be thankful there are vegans in the world, who come up with implicitly kosher recipes for tasty, tasty animal products. Courtesy of vegan-food.net:
• 1 mushroom broth (boullion) cube
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 Tbsp. brown bean sauce
• 1 generous Tbsp. unprocessed sugar
• 1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp. cold water
Dissolve the broth cube in the boiling water. Mix with the brown bean sauce and sugar, and heat to boiling. Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened. Cool and store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.
(This site also provides a recipe, using ground dried mushrooms instead of mushroom cubes)
I assume the mushroom boullion is doable, but what’s this “brown bean sauce”? Cook’s Thesaurus tells us:
This salty brown sauce is made from fermented soybeans, and is available in cans or jars. If you buy it in a can, transfer it into a jar. It can then be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator. Chinese bean sauce isn’t as salty as Thai bean sauce. Substitutes: black bean sauce OR chili bean sauce OR awase miso
Aha! Black bean sauce, we’re there. Kosher Depot will be introducing kosher black bean sauce starting this week, so keep an eye out for it.
So, with all these pieces, we have a suitable oyster sauce substitute.
Thank you for this recipe! I’m really looking forward to trying some Asian recipes I used to avoid.
Just wanted to tell you that I visited Boston last week, and I found kosher ‘oyster sauce’ at the Butcherie in Brookline. It is in a refrigerated case near the deli counter. I haven’t cooked with it yet, but it tastes good and fairly authentic if memory serves…
Wow! I”ve been searching and searching for an ‘oyster sauce’ substitute that I can use in my kosher kitchen! I hope this works!
These are Oyster Sauce “Flavored”. OU utilizes these in their restaurants
Jen Mai Oyster Sauce (Industrial)
Kosher Depot Oyster Flavor Sauce (Consumer)
Lotus Blossom Foods Oyster Flavor Sauce (Consumer)
Sugar Mill Oyster Sauce (Industrial)
Good to know there are substitutes for oyster sauce, but I don’t know why you had to make a comment like “the only reason” you’re grateful for vegans is for producing substitutes for trafe.
I agree with Rebecca - I would think that someone cooking in a kosher kitchen would appreciate the importance of diversity, and wouldn’t want to perpetuate negative stereotypes.
To be fair, vegans have other uses too. For example, each vegan at the dinner table increases the portion of meat available to me.
ok i have a question i have a recipe for oriental Hot & Spicy Chicken. It contains Oyster Sauce and Horsin Sauce, what can i substitute in it’s place. i am allergic to mushrooms so that is no good.
Would celery soup or chicken broth work?
Suggestions please.. thanks.