Hong Kong sesame sauce

Ingredientsserves 1

Method

1. Open the sesame paste, stir the oil on top back in, and spoon two tablespoons into a saucer.
2. Add warm water or clear broth from the pot in three goes, about a tablespoon each, stirring until each is fully taken up before the next. It gets thicker at first; that is normal, and it turns smooth as you keep adding. Stop when it flows like thick cream.
3. Add a teaspoon of light soy, a pinch of sugar and half a teaspoon of black vinegar, stir and taste: too salty, add broth; too mild, add soy. For heat, a little chilli oil on top.
4. For a richer saucer, add half a teaspoon of chive flower paste, a teaspoon of the brine from the fermented bean curd jar, or a little peanut butter.
5. Good with greens, tofu, bean curd sticks, mushrooms and the noodles at the end, and with lamb and shaved beef.
6. Only a clean, dry spoon goes into the sesame paste, and the jar goes back with its lid on, in the fridge in hot weather. Whatever is left in the saucer is thrown away.

Take care

• Contains sesame, soy and wheat (gluten), and peanut if peanut butter goes in. If anyone at the table is allergic to sesame or peanut, keep this saucer and its spoon apart. Sesame paste is on the list of foods to avoid in pregnancy.
• A sauce does not make undercooked food safe.

The story

Sesame sauce began as the northern dip for instant-boiled lamb, and now plenty of Hong Kong tables mix a bowl of it too. Thinned well, it is best with greens and tofu.

Same kind

Garlic soyChilli soySha cha and soy

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.