Oyster sauce

A glossy, savoury brown sauce for stir-fries, steamed dishes and marinades.

At a glance

Chinese: 蠔油 (traditional), 蚝油 (simplified)
Cantonese (Jyutping): hou4 jau4
Mandarin (pinyin): háo yóu

What it is

A thick, dark brown sauce made by simmering oysters down, then seasoning and thickening it. It tastes savoury and a little sweet, and it gives food a shine. Lee Kum Kee, a Hong Kong brand, says it started oyster sauce in 1888.

How we use it

In marinades for meat.
Stirred into steamed meat patties and egg dishes.
Drizzled over cooked greens like choy sum.
Added near the end of a stir-fry. It is salty, so taste before adding more salt.

Where to find it in Hong Kong

Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce (舊庄特級蠔油) is sold in the Lee Kum Kee Hong Kong online shop.
Keep it in the fridge after opening if the label says so.

Check the label

It is made from oysters, so it is not suitable for anyone with a shellfish allergy or for vegetarians.
Premium bottles have more oyster extract than regular ones.

Substitutes

Vegetarian "mushroom" stir-fry sauce, made to be used like oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee sells one).
Hoisin sauce plus a little soy sauce, for a similar thickness. Hoisin is sweeter.
Light soy sauce, if you just need flavour. It is thinner and has no gloss.

Dishes here that use it

Plain steamed meat patty (103)
Salted egg steamed meat patty (124)

Sources

Facts on this page come from these pages. We have summarised them in our own words.

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