Hoisin sauce can complement any Asian-inspired dish with its slightly sweet flavor.
Hoisin sauce is a dipping sauce that originated in China, but is now used for a range of Asian-inspired dishes. The thick, brown sauce is made from fermented soybeans, garlic, vinegar and sugar, and is slightly tart and sweet. There are many ways to use hoisin sauce at home. It can be found in most Asian grocery stores or in the Asian section of your grocery store.
Salad Dressing
You can make hoisin vinaigrette dressing at home and serve it over your favorite salad or along with fresh vegetables. To make the dressing, mix hoisin sauce with rice vinegar and white wine vinegar, and slowly whisk in some vegetable oil and a small amount of toasted sesame oil. This recipe can be personalized with some minced garlic, fresh ginger or hot pepper flakes. It can also be tossed over chilled egg noodles and served as a side dish on hot days.
Dipping Sauce
Hoisin dipping sauce can be made by whisking water into the hoisin sauce until you have your desired thickness, either thin and watery or thick and creamy. After diluting the sauce, add a dash of rice vinegar and hot pepper oil before serving. You can also make a dipping sauce or spread by mixing hoisin sauce with mayonnaise. These sauces can be served with fried dumplings, egg rolls or along with Asian-inspired steak or chicken fingers. You can also serve them on baked tofu or chicken sandwiches.
Glaze
By brushing your food with hoisin sauce before popping it in the oven, you can create a thick, sweet glaze. Simply apply the sauce with a silicone brush and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until cooking is complete, then brush with another coat of hoisin sauce. A hoisin sauce glaze can be good on baked vegetables, like sweet potato wedges, or on meats like baked chicken or Asian-inspired meat loaf. If using this method with meat-based meals, carefully clean your brush between the two applications.
Stir-Fry
Hoisin sauce in stir-fry may be one of them most traditional ways to use the sauce. Simply cook your favorite stir-fry of vegetables, tofu or meat and stir in enough hoisin sauce to coat the food. Add a little extra water to thin the sauce and simmer until it is heated through. Serve this stir-fry topped with slivered almonds or over rice. This method works well with tofu, chicken and vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onions or mushrooms.
Tags: hoisin sauce, sauce with, along with, dipping sauce, hoisin sauce with, rice vinegar
