Hoisin sauce

[Anna N]

Anna, congratulations again.

Perhaps that will just be my signature line soon.

Sorry, Jinmyo - I'm not after congratulations. I think by posting our experiences we encourage new members and members who are not confident cooks, to not only experiment but to contribute to the board. The board caters very strongly to sophisticated diners and cooks who approach Michelin star status, but I'd like to think it exists for the rest of us, too. Those of us who are just now peeking out from behind our kitchen walls and finding a world of dishes and ingredients that are strange and alluring.

I am having fun, great fun and I'd love to encourage others to have the same kind of fun.

Thanks, however, for the congrats.

[tommy]

The board caters very strongly to sophisticated diners and cooks who approach Michelin star status, but I'd like to think it exists for the rest of us, too.

it really doesn't, and i'm sorry you think that.

but i'm glad you're enjoying it! keep cooking, and keep posting.

[Jinmyo]

The rest of who? It's all just us. Having fun.

Really, Anna. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself.

[Kim WB]

painted it on a couple of egg roll wrappers, put a small pile of the chopped up leftovers on it, added a half teaspoon more of the sauce and some finely chopped scallions, wrapped and deep-fried.

I give you credit for this...I have a fear of deep-frying. Which is probably just as well, as the nutritional detriments are considerable, but still, I'd like to be as adventurous as you have been, as a self proclaimed "new" cook of sorts!

[Anna N]

painted it on a couple of egg roll wrappers, put a small pile of the chopped up leftovers on it, added a half teaspoon more of the sauce and some finely chopped scallions, wrapped and deep-fried.

I give you credit for this...I have a fear of deep-frying. Which is probably just as well, as the nutritional detriments are considerable, but still, I'd like to be as adventurous as you have been, as a self proclaimed "new" cook of sorts!

Kim,

I was very much afraid of deep-frying but I have a very deep but narrow saucepan (IKEA) and never fill it beyond 1/3 full of oil. I keep the heat on moderate, never high, and wait patiently for it to reach temperature. I use a deep-fry thermometer and never leave the fat unattended.

From what I have read in some pretty reliable sources, deep-fried is not so unhealthy if eaten in moderation and cooked at the appropriate temperature so that not a lot of fat is absorbed.

Trying new things is good for the soul and it's got me through some pretty rough spots in the last few weeks. Give it a try - most things will turn out edible if not great and you can always go back and try again. Good luck.

[Kim WB]

Trying new things is good for the soul and it's got me through some pretty rough spots in the last few weeks.  Give it a try - most things will turn out edible if not great and you can always go back and try again.  Good luck.

Oh, I'm all about trying new things...I'm pretty accomplished in most areas of the kitchen..I just don't have a comfort level with deep frying, and baking makes me nervous, too. I've totally turned around my cooking, adding lots more vegetables, whole grains, and healthy preparations..something about hitting my 40's, I think!

[mags]

Has anyone ever tried to make hoisin? And just as important, does anyone have ANY idea what a recipe might be? I love hoisin sauce, but the sugar in it plays havoc with my health, and I would love to try to make my own. The one low-carb version I've seen on the market -- from Steel's -- tastes lousy.

[jhlurie]

Well the usual ingredients are soy sauce, bean paste, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, chili oil and garlic I think.

Darn, nothing more specific in RecipeGullet. I'm sure Google will get a million if you aren't picky though.

[mags]

Well the usual ingredients are soy sauce, bean paste, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, chili oil and garlic I think.

Darn, nothing more specific in RecipeGullet. I'm sure Google will get a million if you aren't picky though.

You think? I had actually never heard of anyone making it. Kind of like making soy sauce. And I was afraid that if I Googled "recipe" and "hoisin sauce" I'd get a zillion recipes USING hoisin. But it's worth a try.

[Gary Soup]

You think? I had actually never heard of anyone making it. Kind of like making soy sauce.

That was my reaction, essentially "why?" I can't think of any use for it, unless mags is making Peking duck from scratch, too. My wife cooks Chinese food every day of the year, and we've never even had haixian sauce in the house.

It might be interesting to try making one's own soy sauce, though.

[mags]

You think?  I had actually never heard of anyone making it.  Kind of like making soy sauce.

That was my reaction, essentially "why?" I can't think of any use for it, unless mags is making Peking duck from scratch, too. My wife cooks Chinese food every day of the year, and we've never even had haixian sauce in the house.

It might be interesting to try making one's own soy sauce, though.

Not making Peking duck, but I do like making char siu. And I'm fond of a number of other Chinese recipes that call for it.

[Anna N]

Here's a recipe that I googled: Hoisin Sauce

I have not tried to make it so am not endorsing it but it might give you somewhere to start.

This one looks a bit more likely Hoisin Sauce

Edited to add second link.

Edited December 7, 2003 by Anna N (log)

[bleachboy]

Homemade hoisin.. It'll probably be like the Steingarten "homemade ketchup" project -- your goal will be to come as close as possible to store-bought.

Given the simplicity of the ingredients, I bet you could just sit down with a mixing bowl and work with it, using one of those recipes Anna N. suggested as a start. I really do think it needs some bean paste, though. I also think that if you omitted a lot of the sugar and caramelized more garlic and/or shallots than these recipes call for, you could probably get a pretty good balance without the sugar. Would Splenda work for this sort of thing?

[mongo_jones]

Homemade hoisin.. It'll probably be like the Steingarten "homemade ketchup" project -- your goal will be to come as close as possible to store-bought.

well, i think we're forgetting that part of the impetus of the original question is to avoid the amount of sugar in commercial hoisins that screws with his health. i feel the same way sometimes with blackbean paste and salt. however, i am not as enterprising (masochistic?) and just use the store bought and damn the years off my life-span!

[mags]

MANY thanks to all respondents, and particularly to Anna N. Yes, I think a variety of sugar-subs -- including Splenda -- would work here, and that's what I'm hoping to use. I had found the recipe that starts with peanut butter (!) but that, in combo with the use of garlic powder (!!) made me pretty skeptical. And the other one doesn't use any bean past at all. Hmmmm. I'll try them both and report back. Thanks again.

And yeah, my goal is to come as close to Lee Kum Kee as possible -- that is, the commercial stuff.

(Deep sigh) But not going to try today, apparently. Cheery note from landlady indicates no heat and no water till tomorrow. At least it's stopped snowing.

[Ben Hong]

Make your own hoisin sauce?? But WHY???

Over the past 30 years I did the vast majority of cooking at home, almost all Chinese. I can honestly say that I use hoisin about 6 times a year, maybe. I don't even use it in char siu.

[eatingwitheddie]

Here's a recipe that I googled: Hoisin Sauce

I have not tried to make it so am not endorsing it but it might give you somewhere to start.

This one looks a bit more likely Hoisin Sauce

Edited to add second link.

Two bogus recipes for sure!

[eatingwitheddie]

I recently dined at Bao Noodles (Vietnamese) on 2nd Ave bet 23rd & 22nd Sts. in NYC. The server described a condiment they served as 'homemade' hoisin sauce. It was either a doctored version of a good jarred/tinned product, or if it was homemade, a really good recipe for the 'real' thing. Perhaps you should try contacting them as a starting point in your quest.

[Gary Soup]

Over the past 30 years I did the vast majority of cooking at home, almost all Chinese. I can honestly say that I  use hoisin about 6 times a year, maybe. I don't even use it in char siu.

And you are Cantonese, as I recall, and might be expected to have more of a predilection for sweet sauces. (Hey, how would pure maple syrup work on the cheung fun? ).

My wife is Shanghainese, and probably has never seen hoisin sauce except on a little plate next to a Peking duck. If she wants to make a nastily sweet "twice-cooked" pork, she just throws in a chunk of that brown sugar candy. The default "hong shao" ingredients take care of the rest.

[Gary Soup]

Here's a recipe that I googled: Hoisin Sauce

I have not tried to make it so am not endorsing it but it might give you somewhere to start.

This one looks a bit more likely Hoisin Sauce

Edited to add second link.

Two bogus recipes for sure!

Actually, the first one sounds like a pretty good shot at a satay-style dipping sauce and might better fit the definition of a "seafood sauce" (which "hoisin sauce" literally means) than the more familiar plummy hoisin sauce. (Since when is a duck "seafood", anyway?)

[jo-mel]

Gary Soup ~~~~~ (Since when is a duck "seafood", anyway?)

That jiggled a memory! Can't remember where, or when, but I'd heard that there was a time (long, long ago) that duck was allowed on Catholic meat-fasting diets. This was before duck were farmed raised. Their diet was mostly fish, their flesh tasted like fish, so they qualified as 'fish'. (Trivia lesson for today)

[mongo_jones]

Gary Soup ~~~~~ (Since when is a duck "seafood", anyway?)

That jiggled a memory! Can't remember where, or when, but I'd heard that there was a time (long, long ago) that duck was allowed on Catholic meat-fasting diets. This was before duck were farmed raised. Their diet was mostly fish, their flesh tasted like fish, so they qualified as 'fish'. (Trivia lesson for today)

catholic meat-fasting days were also a dilemma for mcdonald's which saw sales plummet on fridays. they eventually solved this with the filet of fish (when fish became okay) but one of their interim solutions was something called the hula burger, with, get this, a slice of pineapple as the main event.

[jo-mel]

~~~~~~ but the sugar in it plays havoc with my health~~~~~~~

Is it the total grams of sugar? I was in a Chinese store, today, and checked the 3 brands. LeeKum Kee had 21 gms sugar to 2 Tbsp. WOW! Weichuan had 4 gms to 2 Tbsp, if I remember right, and Koon Chun had 3 gms to 2 Tbsp. What a difference from the Lee Kum Kee!

[lorea]

Looks like the second recipe is just a recipe for plum sauce...which actually tastes pretty similar to hoisin sauce!

My grandma used to make plum sauce all the time, and it was really good. We used it any time we wanted to use hoisin sauce.

[mags]

Wow, I had no idea there was so much variation in the amount of sugar! I've been happy with the various Lee Kum Kee sauces I've used in the past -- and my local fancy-dancy gourmet store carries them -- so I didn't even think to check out other brands. (Hitting self in head) And using the plum sauce as a replacement is also a great idea. Thanks to you both!