This is my secret weapon for seriously fast midweek meals: My Authentic Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce. It takes minutes to make and can be stored in the fridge for weeks. It has plenty of flavour just used plain but also fantastic with extra flavourings added.
My Stir Fry Sauce is sensational used for both stir fries and stir fried noodles. This recipe is a keeper!
My Swiss Army knife of Stir Fry Sauces!
Restaurant Secret: you know when you go to a packed Asian restaurant or take out during lunch hour and you’re handed a plate of fresh-out-of-the-wok stir fry 5 minutes after ordering? I hate to disappoint you, but the cooks standing over the flames aren’t throwing together 10 ingredient sauce mixes for every single dish…….What they actually use are ready made sauces as a base, then add additional flavours for different dishes.
These all purpose stir fry sauces are closely guarded secrets of restaurants – you won’t uncover them simply by googling, that’s for sure! Today I’m sharing mine. I call him Charlie (as in Charlie Brown….as in “Brown Sauce”, which stir fry sauces are commonly referred to as). Perfected and tweaked over years, I’ve been loyal to Charlie for a decade (and counting).
The brilliant thing about Charlie is that you make him just by combining the ingredients in a jar, them just store him in the fridge where he’ll happily reside for weeks – months even. Then you simply heat some oil in a wok, throw in whatever proteins, vegetables and noodles you want, then throw Charlie in with some water and he’ll magically transform into a thick, glossy sauce that lusciously coats your stir fry. He’s great plain, but so versatile too – add heat, herbs, fruity sweetness or some tang. I’ve provided some of my favourite variations in the recipe below.
In the recipe below, I’ve provided the basic “formula” for using Charlie and I’ve also written a separate post on how to Build Your Own Chinese Stir Fried Noodles.
Update: At the request of a number of readers, I’ve put together a post with 10 Classic Chinese Takeout Meals using this sauce – meals in a flash!
I’d love to know what you think if you give “Charlie” a go! – Nagi x
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Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup all purpose soy sauce (I use Kikkoman all purpose, or use more light soy sauce) (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup Chinese wine (or dry sherry) (Note 5)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch / cornflour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil , toasted
- 1 - 2 tsp ground white pepper (I sometimes use 1 tbsp, I like the spiciness!)
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. Store in fridge and shake before use.
Amount to Use (Note 6):
- Stir Fry: I use 3 tbsp Stir Fry Sauce + 6 tbsp water to make a stir frying for 2 people using around 5 cups of uncooked ingredients (proteins + vegetables).
- Noodles: I use 3 tbsp of the Stir Fry sauce + 5 - 6 tbsp water to make a noodle stir fry for 2 people using around 7 cups of the combined stir fry uncooked (vegetables - packed, proteins + noodles - if using).
- By weight (Noodles & Stir Fry): Around 3 tbsp Stir Fry Sauce per 1 lb / 500g of combined ingredients (proteins + vegetables + noodles if using) plus 1/3 cup water.
To Use:
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok over high heat.
- Add your choice of Base Flavourings - fry for 10 seconds or so to infuse oil.
- Add stir fry ingredients in order of time to cook (starting with ingredients that take longest to cook), leaving leafy greens, like the leaves of bok choy, until when you add the sauce (otherwise they will wilt and overcook).
- Add noodles (if using), sauce and water, your choice of Additional Flavourings and any leafy greens.
- Gently toss to combine and to let the sauce cook for around 1 minute. The sauce will become a thick, glossy sauce that coats your stir fry.
- Serve immediately with rice - or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Base Flavourings
- Garlic, minced or finely sliced
- Ginger, minced or finely sliced
- Fresh chillies, minced or finely sliced
Additional Flavouring Suggestions
- Sriracha, Chilli Bean Paste or other Spicy addition
- Sweet chilli sauce
- Substitute the water with pineapple or orange juice
- Rice vinegar - for a touch of tartness
- Fresh cilantro / coriander leaves, or thai basil - for freshness
- Garlic or ordinary chives, chopped
- Pinch of Chinese five spice powder
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
I make a stirfry sauce very similar to your Charlie, except I don’t use cornstarch, and I make it as required. I sub Xantham Gum
Oh wow!! This was amaaaaazing! I also velveted the chicken (something else you’ve taught me!). Nagi, you are the best!!!
This was by far THE BEST stir fry sauce! A base that I will keep in my fridge as a weekly go-to meal. Add a little sriracha if you want a kick, but I love it as is. Thank you!
Can wait to try. I need to learn to cook now that I moved to Mexico. Had to drive back to US just to get the ingredients. My question is whether you have a substitute for oyster sauce? I think I’ve seen Worcestershire as a replacement. Or, can I leave it out without ruining the recipe? Thanks
Hi Eric, you need the oyster sauce for this sauce unfortunately – the only substitute would be the vegetarian mushroom based oyster in its place. N x
Nagi, You are my best friend in the kitchen. After 40 years cooking and so many cookbooks, your site is the one thing I would hate to cook without.
It’s nice to find a widely applicable stir-fry sauce. I’m planning on making a list of vegetables, then experiment with cooking them Chinese style. I’ve decided not to work with a wok, but instead with a large stainless steel electric skillet. Which means I’ll be able more easily to share the self-made recipes that have turned out well. I don’t see becoming devoted to stir fries as a hobby. But cooking in this oriental way will, I think, let me whip up simple recipes for fun, and to be able easily to feed myself on the spur of the moment. I picture perusing sites to learn what vegetables go well together, and with what Chinese spices. Very best wishes, Roger (Paddock Lake Wisconsin.
Hi Nagi,
What would you recommend as a substitute for white pepper? Only have black but not sure if that would be a good alternative? Thanks!
Made your sauce yesterday, tried it on my chicken,noodle stir fry last night- absolutely Devine Dahling! I’ve just made a jar of it for my friend/neighbour .
I cooked your authentic chicken chow mein last night and it was amazing, I’ve just made a batch of your stir fry sauce, can’t wait to use this too. Thank you Nagi, for the incredible recipes
Nagi, you’ve done it again… you never fail to impress! This sauce is AMAZING, makes exceptional stir fry! My refrigerator will have Charlie as a permanent resident.
This is just amazing the best I’ve ever had. I use a lot of stir fry sauces and this is by far the best yet
Ty Nagi xxxxx
I add a tsp of peanut butter to this for a satay feel/ taste and use it concurrently with dumplings and a veg stir fry. Great basic sauce.
Great idea Martin!!! N x
Fantastic as,always nagi. Love all your recipes and have made an awful lot of them. I’m in the UK so sometimes I have to get bits online but nothing that can’t be sourced at amazon. Keep cooking and carry on loo xxx