I try hard not to post recipes from books or that others have created as I feel it is important to keep this site my own content as much as possible, in saying that anyone who follows me on Instagram will see I am going through a bit of an Asian phase at the moment, I blame 101 Easy Asian Recipes by the good people behind Lucky Peach, it’s truly an awesome book that has certainly educated me, the section on pantry staples has certainly made trips to the local Asian marts a lot more enjoyable, I actually feel like I know what I'm seeing on the shelves now. Aside from the chineasy cucumber salad, cold spicy celery, and my now go to chicken dish, Adobo chicken, I am obsessed with the Odd Flavour sauce contained within the pages, it goes with friggin everything and makes a dish taste better than the sum of it’s parts. Lacquered Roast Chicken with the above sides, rice and this sauce is heaven, a perfectly cooked pork chop with rice and the sauce is a quick throw together meal that certainly punches above it’s humbleness. The sauce has a good chilli kick and numbing heat from Szechuan pepper, just the right balance of sour and salty, and that nutty sweetness you get from tahini.
So a recipe entirely not by me but from the pages of 101 Easy Asian Recipes by Peter Meehan, go buy a copy.
Odd Flavor Sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp tahini*
1 Tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp neutral oil
1 small spring onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
1 Garlic clove, minced, 1 tsp
½ tsp chilli flakes**
½ tsp Szechuan peppercorns, crushed
* Sub in peanut butter if you don't have tahini.
** More if you desire, but don’t go crazy
In a heat proof bowl mix together the soy, tahini, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and salt. You’ll want the tahini to be pretty well mixed through and the sugar mainly dissolved, I find a fork better than a spoon.
Heat a small pot over a medium heat and add the neutral oil. When the oil is shimmering hot remove from the heat and add the spring onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and pepper, stir for about 10 seconds until aromatic. Tip into the bowl. Mix together and transfer to a jar.
Will keep a few days in the fridge.
