Comments on: Creating Your Own Foolproof Chinese Stir-Fry–Step Three: The Condiments

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:32:12 +0000

Not sure if you still check your blog Barbara but i have a condition that makes me intolerant to soy sauce and most other condiments. I love chinese food and have not been able to eat it or replicate it for a year. Am so happy to have found this post and your reply to the other lady. The sauce tasted pretty good by the way especially with a bit of honey and coconut milk!;-)

By: elodie

elodie — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:06:50 +0000

I like your analysis and mannner of speaking, thank you for this interesting ticcket, it s always nice to visit this beautiful blog

By: Kat

Kat — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:29:25 +0000

Excellent, so it is easier to avoid saltiness than I thought. Thanks!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:08:31 +0000

Kat, Kimlan makes an authentic, naturally brewed, Chinese style low sodium soy sauce.

Kkkoman’s makes a Japanese style low sodium soy sauce–those should be a decent starting point.

Dry sherry or drinking quality Shao Hsing wine also are unsalted–just don’t use “cooking wine,” as they are salted to render them undrinkable.

A decent low sodium vegetarian Chinese stir fry marinade could be made by combining 2 parts dry sherry or shao hsing wine, 1 part low sodium vegetable broth or stock, 1/4 part sugar or brown sugar or honey, and 1/4 part low sodium soy sauce with as much minced ginger, garlic and scallion as you would like. Fresh minced chilies and freshly ground black pepper are an optional addition, as well as white or black rice vinegar, which has no salt, and toasted sesame oil, which is also unsalted. Citrus juices and zests also add a great deal of flavor with no salt.

Things to avoid are “vegetarian” oyster sauce–very salty, bottled teriyaki–you are better off making your own from low sodium soy sauce, and “vegetarian” fish sauce.

By: Kat

Kat — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:39:28 +0000

Hi again Barbara,

Was wondering if you have any idea for (vegetarian) marinades/sauces that aren’t too salty? My partner is trying to watch his blood pressure and it seems like so many sauces for stir-fry are SO salty (we were looking at bottled sauces at the store and every label we looked at merited a gasp. 800 or 900 mg of sodium per tablespoonful??). I’m not sure if it’d even be possible to make an authentic sauce that isn’t really salty, since soy sauce and its relatives are such a big ingredient of most sauces?