Tangy, briny soy sauce makes an excellent base from which to build a sweet sauce that can be used as a savory meat marinade, a stir-fry sauce or simply as a pot sticker dipping sauce. Adapted from Serious Eats’ Sweet Soy Sauce, the brown sugar in this mix lends a robust molasses-tasting sweetness, while Chinese five-spice powder adds depths of flavor with warm cinnamon and cooling licorice notes. While sweet, salty and umami are the stars, rice wine vinegar adds sour notes and toasted sesame oil contributes bitter notes for a sweet soy sauce that delights all five primary tastes.
Start to Finish: 10 minutes
Servings: Makes around 1/4 cup
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon water
Simmer the Sauce
Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, Chinese five-spice powder and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to medium heat, whisking until the brown sugar is completely dissolved.
Thicken the Sauce
Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a bowl, until combined. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan, whisking to combine. Bring the saucepan to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove the pan from heat and let cool before use.
Substitutions and Variations
If you can’t find fresh ginger, jarred minced ginger is an acceptable substitute. Red pepper flakes add a subtle, underlying heat, but they can be left out if the spice isn’t desirable. An additional tablespoon or 2 of brown sugar will up the sweetness level if you prefer a sweeter sauce. Opt for mirin in lieu of rice wine vinegar.