Commercial oyster sauce is a concentrated, brown sauce made of ground oysters, soy sauce, and brine. It is used as commonly in Taiwan as ketchup is in the United States. Also available in a vegetarian variety, oyster sauce enhances any dish, bringing out the various flavors of the other ingredients.

Makes 1½ cups sauce.

1 can (3¾ ounces) smoked oysters
½ cup rice wine
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste

Finely mince the oysters or, using a blender’s pulse mode, pulverize the oysters in their liquid. Add all ingredients to a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain, cool, cover, and refrigerate. Will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. This post is a member of the Chinese Father's Day menu series.