Sauces & Condiments
Cooking sauces, table sauces, and condiments
17 ingredients
Epis
Haitian Seasoning Base, Green Seasoning
Epis is the aromatic foundation of Haitian cuisine—a vibrant green seasoning paste made from fresh herbs, peppers, and aromatics. Every Haitian household has their own recipe, passed down through generations.
Mojo Criollo
Cuban Mojo, Mojo Sauce
Mojo criollo is the soul of Cuban cooking—a garlicky, citrusy marinade and sauce made with sour orange juice. It's essential for lechón asado (roast pork) and gives Cuban cuisine its distinctive tangy-garlicky character.
Soy Sauce
Shoyu, Jiang You
Soy sauce is the foundational seasoning of East Asian cuisine—a fermented condiment made from soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. Its complex umami depth took centuries to perfect.
Oyster Sauce
Hao You, Oyster Flavored Sauce
Oyster sauce is Cantonese cooking's secret weapon—a thick, savory-sweet sauce made from oyster extracts. It adds incomparable depth and glossy finish to stir-fries and braises.
Fermented Black Beans
Douchi, Chinese Black Beans
Fermented black beans are one of China's oldest seasonings—soybeans preserved in salt until they develop intense, funky, savory depth. They're the soul of black bean sauce dishes.
Hoisin Sauce
Chinese BBQ Sauce, Peking Sauce
Hoisin is China's beloved sweet-savory sauce—thick, fragrant, and essential for Peking duck and moo shu pork. Its name means 'seafood sauce' though it contains no seafood.
Doubanjiang
Chili Bean Paste, Toban Djan
Doubanjiang is the 'soul of Sichuan cuisine'—a fermented paste of chili peppers and broad beans that brings spicy, salty, savory depth. Pixian doubanjiang, aged for years, is considered the finest.
Miso
Miso Paste, Fermented Soybean Paste
Miso is Japan's umami powerhouse—fermented soybean paste that ranges from sweet and mild (white) to rich and robust (red). It's the base of miso soup and adds depth to countless dishes.
Mirin
Sweet Rice Wine, Japanese Sweet Wine
Mirin is sweet Japanese rice wine—essential for teriyaki, simmered dishes, and dipping sauces. Real mirin (hon mirin) is alcoholic and complex; imitations are syrupy and one-dimensional.
Gochujang
Korean Chili Paste, Red Pepper Paste
Gochujang is Korea's signature fermented chili paste—a unique combination of spicy, sweet, and funky that has no equivalent in other cuisines. It takes months to ferment properly.
Doenjang
Korean Soybean Paste, Korean Miso
Doenjang is Korea's fermented soybean paste—bolder and funkier than Japanese miso. It's the foundation of doenjang jjigae (stew) and adds powerful umami to Korean cooking.
Fish Sauce
Nuoc Mam, Nam Pla
Fish sauce is the liquid gold of Southeast Asian cooking—fermented anchovies and salt transformed into pure savory essence. It's funky, salty, and absolutely essential.
Tamarind
Imli, Tamarind Paste
Tamarind is the sour pod fruit that gives its tang to dishes across multiple continents. Its unique sweet-sour flavor is essential for pad Thai, sambar, and agua fresca.
Banana Ketchup
Filipino Ketchup, Banana Sauce
Banana ketchup is the Philippines' tomato ketchup alternative—invented during WWII when tomatoes were scarce. It's made from mashed bananas, sugar, and spices, dyed red.
Ogiri
Dawadawa, Iru
Ogiri is West Africa's fermented seasoning—made from locust beans, sesame, or melon seeds. Its powerful, funky aroma becomes deeply savory umami when cooked.
Tahini
Sesame Paste, Sesame Butter
Tahini is ground sesame paste—the creamy, nutty base of hummus and halva. Quality tahini should be pourable and silky, not thick and bitter.
Pomegranate Molasses
Pomegranate Syrup, Dibs Rumman
Pomegranate molasses is reduced pomegranate juice—thick, tangy, and fruity. It adds complex sweet-sour depth to savory and sweet dishes alike.