An aromatic and versatile ginger scallion sauce that can be used as a dipping sauce, stir fry sauce, finishing oil, and so much more. {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
Ginger scallion sauce is a classic sauce in Cantonese cooking. It’s one of the main sauces to serve alongside Hainanese Chicken Rice. It’s a sauce that often accompanies Cantonese roast duck. And it’s such a versatile condiment in your pantry because you can almost add it to all your Chinese dishes, from stir fries to noodlesto boost their flavor.
Ingredients
You only need five simple ingredients to make ginger scallion sauce:
- Scallions
- Ginger
- Neutral oil
- Salt
- Sugar
There are countless ratios you can play with, using these ingredients. My recipe yields a slightly scallion-heavy sauce that I really love. And I make a sauce that is less salty than the one you’d get from a Chinese restaurant. The goal is to create a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used in many ways.
How to prepare the aromatics
Making ginger scallion sauce requires some chopping.
First, you will need to mince the ginger. Thinly slice the ginger, then julienned the slices, and further mince the julienned slivers.
To cut the scallions, I like to halve them lengthwise, then slice them thinly into half moon shapes.
I like to keep my aromatics slightly larger than finely minced, which you’ll see in some ginger scallion sauce recipes. The larger pieces are more robust and hold their shape when you store the sauce.
TIP
It’s totally OK to mince the ginger and scallions in a food processor.
Note, only mince the aromatics in the food processor without the oil. The oil needs to be heated and added separately, to yield the correct texture and taste. If you blend the oil with the aromatics, it will create a slimy texture and taste very strange (do not ask why I know this!).
Different approaches when making ginger scallion sauce
There two different ways to make ginger scallion sauce:
Cold oil method – This is a super simple way to make ginger scallion sauce. All you need to do is mix the five ingredients together. That’s it!
Hot oil method – This method only has one more step. You will heat up the oil and drizzle it over the aromatics to gently cook them.
During recipe testing, I have tried both methods and I prefer the hot oil method. The oil brings out the flavor of the ginger and scallion, making the sauce a bit more fragrant. The hot oil also gently cooks the ingredients so they will keep longer in the fridge.
How to make ginger scallion sauce
When you’re ready to cook, combine the ginger, scallion, salt and sugar in a heat-proof bowl. Stir to mix well.
Then heat up the oil until hot but not smoking hot. It’s important that the oil only gently cooks the aromatics and does not scorch them. A gentle cooking is enough to bring out the flavor while maintaining the vibrant color.
How to use ginger scallion sauce
Ginger scallion sauce is super versatile and you can use it in many ways:
- Serve it as a dipping sauce: You can use it with Hainanese Chicken Rice, Roast Chicken, Roast Duckleftover rotisserie chicken, and roast beef and pork.
- Use it as a stir fry sauce: You can use it to replace the aromatics that are often called for in a stir fry dishto quickly cook stir fried vegetables such as bok choy and spinach, and to make a quick fried rice.
- Use it as a finishing oil: You can use it on top of roasted vegetables such as cauliflower and eggplant, to garnish noodle soup or cold noodlesor over steamed vegetables for a quick side dish.
- Make a quick salad dressing: You can mix the ginger scallion sauce with soy sauce, vinegar, mayonnaise, Japanese tsuyu, and other sauces from your pantry to create a quick salad dressing.
For me, ginger scallion sauce is a great condiment to keep in my fridge, because I can quickly and easily prepare a stir fry or vegetable side dish with it, make my leftovers taste better, or make a noodle soup for a one-bowl meal.
How to store ginger scallion sauce
You can store ginger scallion sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Because I cut the aromatics slightly larger in this recipe, they hold their shape quite well. I still prefer to finish the sauce within a week, because it tastes more fragrant and fresh earlier on. Another great way to store the sauce is to use a vacuum sealed container. It will keep the sauce fresher for longer.
Ginger Scallion Sauce
An aromatic and versatile ginger scallion sauce that can be used as a dipping sauce, stir fry sauce, finishing oil, and so much more. {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
Ingredients
- 5.6 oz (160 g) scallions (about 6 medium-sized or 8 small scallions) (*Footnote 1)
- 1.4 oz (40 g) ginger minced (yield 3 tablespoons)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (*Footnote 3)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) vegetable oil or other neutral oil (*Footnote 2)
Instructions
-
Slice the scallions thinly. If the scallions are on the thicker side, halve the scallions lengthwise, then slice thinly into half-moon shapes. Transfer into a medium heatproof bowl over a trivet or coaster.
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Add the minced ginger, salt, and sugar into the bowl with scallions. Stir to mix well.
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Heat the oil in a small pot or skillet that you can pour from easily, until hot, but not smoking hot. You can test it by inserting a wooden chopstick into the oil and see whether thin bubbles come up. If the bubbles are big and rapid, the oil is too hot. Immediately pour the hot oil over the ginger scallion mixture. Stir to mix well. The sauce is ready to use now. Or you can transfer it into a sealed container once cooled. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- You can chop the scallions and ginger in a food processor. The result will be finer than hand chopped, but it will work as well.
- This recipe uses enough oil to fully cover the aromatics so the sauce has a longer shelf life. You can reduce the oil to 1/2 cup if making a smaller batch, or if you plan to use the sauce within a week. The sauce will have a nicer taste with less oil.
- The salt level is a starting point for the sauce, since you can use it in many different ways. If serving as a dipping sauce, you can add a bit more salt, chicken bouillon, or MSG to further boost the flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 1.7g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 12.2g, Saturated Fat: 2.4g, Sodium: 149mg, Potassium: 39mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 0.4g, Calcium: 7mg
