When I go into a market or read a menu from an Asian restaurant I sometimes wonder what all those sauces are made of and what they are used for.  Here is a list of them:

• Duck (Plum) sauce:  Made from plums, garlic, sweet potatoes, ginger, chili pepper, vinegar and sugar.  It is used for dipping dumplings, bread, shrimp, chicken and spring rolls
• Hoisin:  Made from fermented soybeans, chili peppers, flour, garlic and spices.  Used in Peking duck, barbecuing, meats and poultry
• Goma:  Made from sesame and soy sauce.  Used in fondues and dipping sauces for raw vegetables, beef and chicken.
• Satay:  Made from coconut, shrimp paste, ground peanuts, tamarind and chili’s.  Great for cooking chicken and pork kabobs or as a dipping sauce.

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