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About Oyster Sauce Substitute
Despite the unique colour and taste that oyster sauce brings to a dish, many people are looking for an oyster sauce substitute for various reasons. In our kitchen or restaurants, there are several kinds and sorts of sauces that we use. In the list of the sauces that we use, Oyster sauce is one of the unique sauces. It brings a different taste to whatever you add it to. People use oyster sauce in various parts of the globe. From broth to a stir-fry, people love it.
However, there are several reasons that one would not like the oyster sauce added to their dishes. Let us see some of the reasons that one might not oyster sauce in their dish.
Reasons for The Substitute
Vegetarian– One of the most common reasons that one might want to avoid oyster sauce is if they are a vegetarian by diet. That means that they consume no form of meats, seafood or eggs. Hence, they will obviously not want the oyster sauce or anything similar added to their meals or dinner.
Vegan– Again, similar to the vegetarians, if a person has opted to become vegan, then they are not allowed to have the oyster sauce as it is not the vegan way out to enjoy any dish.
Acquired Taste– As the oyster sauce brings its own unique taste and flavour, everyone does not like it. However, they still might want the same colour and feel to the dish, so that’s why they look for the oyster sauce substitute.
Availability- In some regions of the world, oyster sauce is still not a common condiment that you can find is any shelf. So, if they are making a particular dish but are unable to find the oyster sauce, they will look for accessible alternatives.
Some Delicious Alternatives for the Sauce
Dark Soy
We know that dark soy sauce is extensively used in various parts of the world, especially in the Asian region. However, not a lot of people or home chefs know this, but this is an excellent substitute for the oyster sauce. If you have a problem with seafood, then this is a great alternative. Soy can bring the same test and colour to your meal, just as the oyster sauce would do. Here are some dishes that you can add soy sauce into instead of oyster sauce-
- Fried Rice- Add a few teaspoons to your batch of fried rice along with a pinch of salt and sugar. This will take the taste and colour of your fried rice to the next level!
- Sauteed Mushroom- The taste of mushroom and soy sauces compliments each other perfectly. Hence, to make it tastier, you can add a few drops of dark Soy the next time you decide to make mushrooms with a Chinese twist.
- Ramen- Ramen is like a canvas, and you can add tons of flavours to it as per your taste or palate. The Dark Soy will enhance the broth of the ramen and add an excellent salty base to it.
Sweet Soya Sauce
This sauce is quite similar to the soy one as the base ingredient is the same, i.e. Soy. However, dark Soy is a very thick concentrate that has vital essence to it. Moreover, it is incredibly high in salt as well. So, this makes the dark Soy not suitable for every dish. Hence, in order to compensate for the dark and salty flavour of the dark Soy, we have Sweet soya sauce. This is the milder and sweeter version of the same sauce. However, due to its sweet and subtle taste, it becomes easier to match with the vast number of dishes.
Can use with-
- Sweet and Sour Soup
- Chilli Chicken
- Bean Sprout Salad and more!
Black Bean Sauce
This is an uncommon Oyster sauce substitute that not many people are aware of. Here, we have for you the black bean sauce. Just as the name suggests, it is made up of black bean paste and other things that give it a strong taste and colour. The added salt and sugar merged with a taste of black bean paste gives the flavours and outstanding depth. Black bean sauce can be used with various dishes.
Fish Sauce
One of the top contenders for the oyster sauce substitute in the very popular Fish Sauce. Despite being a non-vegetarian sauce, the fish sauce is loved by a lot of people. It is extensively used in most Asian countries and gives their dishes a nice flavour. Moreover, use it both as a sauce as well as a dip. It goes along well with many seafood meals, and it is also very popular as a sushi dip. If you are using the fish sauce as an alternative to the oyster sauce, keep in mind that it will
Hoisin Sauce
Here we have one of the best and yummiest alternatives to Oyster sauce for all the vegan people. As the number of people who are shifting to a vegan lifestyle increases every day, the Hoisin sauce is a great substitute. The Hoisin sauce brings on a delicious touch to the dish that replicates the colour and taste of an oyster sauce.
Hoisin sauce is quite similar to the black bean paste, as the base of the sauce remains the same. However, there are several other ingredients that people add to the Hoisin sauce. These ingredients are added to give the taste more depth. You can even mix it with some light soy sauce to increase the taste and character of the sauce even more.
Mushroom Sauce or Paste
As we mentioned earlier, the mushroom has a very distinct flavour that resembles the taste of oysters. Hence, we choose to opt for mushroom sauce as a great substitute. You can buy a mushroom sauce from the market or cook it yourself, too, as the recipe is fairly simple.
Mushroom Sauce Recipe-
- Heat up a saucepan and add some butter to it and let it warm up.
- Now, add some chopped garlic in the butter and stir it till it becomes light brown.
- Here, you have to add the mushroom of your choice that are clean and chopped beforehand.
- Now slowly cook the mushroom over low heat and let them cook.
- Add half a cup of milk after you cook the mushroom nicely.
- After you mix the milk and cook it with mushrooms, add the cornflour into the mushroom mixture while you keep it at a low flame.
Conclusion
We hope that you are now aware of the various oyster sauce substitutes you can find for your dishes. You can choose and switch the substitute from time to time in order to bring something new to the meal.
