Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce is, as the name suggests, made from the flesh of fermented oysters or oyster extract and other ingredients such as soy sauce, salt, garlic and onions. It is used to season dishes in various Asian countries.

Chinese Oyster Sauce

China is considered the country of origin of oyster sauce. This thick seasoning sauce appeared there from the 1870s onwards. Chinese oyster sauce is characterized by a rather strong, salty and slightly fishy taste. Today it is an all-purpose sauce in Chinese cuisine, often mixed with soy sauce.

Thai Oyster Sauce

Thai oyster sauces are usually milder and sweeter in taste than the Chinese original. It is often thickened with starch and thus comes as a very thick, almost creamy seasoning sauce. In English-language recipes it is often referred to as “Oyster sauce”. In Thailand it is called “Nam Man Hoi” ( น้ำมันหอย ) or less commonly “Sot Hoi Nang Rom” ( ซอสหอยนางรม ).

Usage

Comparison Video

In the following video from Hot Thai Kitchen, Pailin Chongchitnant compares oyster sauces from various manufacturers.