The best Asian Sauces: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

I just use this curry roux and it's freakin delicious. There are other brands too. And if you're gonna make it from scratch, S&B curry powder is what you want for Japanese curry.

My favorite (Golden Curry, amazon link). That cooked with some meat and/or veggies goes great over fresh rice, and lasts in the fridge for days and only seems to get better as the spices soak into the other ingredients. One box lasts me for at least 4 large meals and takes about 20 minutes to cook.

Mae Ploy is a highly regarded curry paste and can be found in some groceries in the asian section.

It has much better flavor than the "Thai Kitchen" crap you'll find in most US grocery stores. Also, it holds in the fridge for numerous months and you only use a few tablespoons (I like it hot!) per dish.

I buy mine on amazon.

Not OP, but we get a packet of butter chicken flavor paste (it's like $2). Follow its directions and throw in whatever protein you like: chicken, pork, chick peas, etc. it's a very easy meal!

Edit: I think we use this brand - Amazon sells a 6 pack

Butter Chicken curry paste

You use curry cubes as a pre-made roux that forms the base of the curry. S&B is pretty popular in the states, so I guess this

It usually comes in a box like this and is probably labeled "sauce mix". I really like Vermont Curry but Golden Curry is usually more common in US grocery stores and it's good too.

The back of the box walks you through the steps and suggests ingredients, but specifically what I did here:

2 potatoes, 1 onion, 1 head of cauliflower, 'bout a cup of carrots and a cup green bean, and half the curry mix.

afaik, amazon or ebay is the only option. I ordered three bottles for myself because i love the shit they give you with the ramen noodles. Couldn't find any in the Asian supermarkets so I guess they haven't shipped it over

I hope curry! A friend turned me on to this a few years ago and it's the only thing I have on monthly order from amazon. Highly recommend!

There is nothing wrong with using a good pre made curry paste. Maesri is a good brand with authentic Thai ingredients. You can buy it on Amazon if you can't find it locally. Beware, it is pretty hot. https://www.amazon.com/4oz-Green-Yellow-Curry-Pastes/dp/B000QU3JM0/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1495500050&sr=1-6&keywords=curry+paste

Baking powder wings!

Cut up 10 whole wings and toss with 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 tablespoon baking powder. Give it a minute or two then air fry at 400 for 8-10 minutes per side.

Eat as is or toss in your favorite sauce. (Mine is Spicy Chili Crisp Oil )

SO EASY:

Curry paste
* You can buy this on Amazon
* https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Thai-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478982408&sr=8-1&keywords=thai+curry+paste
* Note that all but the Yellow curry paste from Mae Ploy contain shrimp paste, so keep that in mind.

Coconut Cream
* Buy something like this at the store; prices are absurd on Amazon, so you'll want to shop local. You can usually find something for $1-$2 per can:
* https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/bc/60/0b/bc600b27f226d6e9371824f790ceea2e.jpg
* You want coconut cream/milk in a CAN. Not watery, watered down 'coconut milk' packaged in a box for drinking, this won't work. The can will be filled with a little bit of coconut water and the rest will be a solid cream that melts when you cook it.

Instructions

All you have to do is put a little oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Put 1-2 tablespoon of the curry paste in the oil and let it simmer for a bit, making sure that you play around with it and ensure that it's getting heated thoroughly. After 5 or so minutes of this (the curry paste begins to get ever so slightly golden brown), lower the heat to a simmer and dump the jar of coconut cream into the saucepan. As the cream melts, stir the mixture well. Let simmer for 5 - 10 more minutes.

Done

You now have curry that tastes exactly like it does in a restaurant (most restaurants actually use curry pastes.)

Combine with your protein of choice, some veggies, pour over rice, whatever you want.

If you're already trying to stay on a budget and not wanting to buy a bunch of ingredients you're not sure if you'll like, start subbing out things you like for alternative versions. For example instead of buying Nissan or Top Ramen noodles get some soba or udon noodles - slightly different but open to lots of possibilities! Then you can use it in familiar ways or try something new.

A lot of what is good about international markets is the seasoning! Having some rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil on hand lets you make tons of delicious dishes! Lots of things can be flavored or marinated with miso paste. Sriracha, garlic chili paste, and gochujang are really popular for adding spice. If you have a few key seasonings from different cuisines that can be a great way to make cooking more fun and interesting. Or try pre-made pastes and mixes. We used this curry mix the other day and liked it. Now we know to buy more or branch out and learn to make a cheaper/healthier version!

I paid $30 for this and don't regret it at all. I went on a soy sauce research bender and found this one to be the most recommended. It's rich, reddish, and it only takes a couple drops to add great umami to a dish. I still use Kikkoman for all things marinade and such, but to add a dash of flavor or for dipping sushi, this is really good.

Obviously if you're doing Chinese or Thai food there are better options. But for straight seasoning? this one is great.

We use our Instant Pot for curry on a regular basis and almost always include potatoes. The most recent pok obsession is Japanese curry. Try these curry cubes and toss in whatever meat and/or veggies you have on hand (we use 4 cubes which is half the package to make a total of 4 meals). For us that usually means potatoes, peas, carrots, mushrooms. Serve on rice and you have a tasty meal that reheats well. Japanese curry comes in mild, medium hot, and hot. The hot is quite mild. Think along the lines of a mild restaurant salsa level of heat.

Hui Guo Rou is a Sichuan recipe, Korean fermented soya bean is the wrong ingredient for the dish. You'll want to buy Pixan Broad Bean Paste/Doubanjiang, which is a lot cheaper at your local Asian Market compared to Amazon. Check out Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe from Every Grain of Rice.

I get AMAZING one on Amazon for like $4 - it’s so good I sent surprise packages to relatives! Bibigo, Sauce Gochujang Sauce Hot & Sweet, 11.5 Oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EWVOSXW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7ZElFbHM2T69J

If you want to try a premix of spice- Golden Curry Sauce mix works great in a slow cooker. https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM?th=1

Link just for reference, you can find it at the supermarket probably cheaper.

Also don't forget to check out /r/slowcooking for great crockpot recipes.

https://www.amazon.com/Sichuan-Pixian-Boad-Paste-Chili/dp/B01M31VHNZ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=dou+ban+jiang&qid=1625686623&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Spicy-Chili-Crisp-Family-Restaurant/dp/B06XYTSGDP/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=lao+gan+ma&qid=1625686642&sr=8-2

doubanjiang keeps a long time, being fermented and all. and lao gan ma can be slapped on anything...

If you're looking for something fancy, Google "Tsurubishio." Here is an Amazon link

The second episode of the Salt Fat Acid Heat documentary on Netflix explores soy sauce, and this "Tsurubishio" kind was highly praised

I really like these spicy chicken ramen hot sauces. I think they may be my favorite hot sauce of all time.

These are great if you like heat..the pink one, least spicy of the 3 is pretty hot..They will last years..https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q8FH6TY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_3o.cGbHF1WXWE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I get this spice mix from Amazon: Kitchens of India Paste for Butter Chicken Curry, 3.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EujDAbMZCPKT0 I like it a lot, I also add potatoes and cauliflower sometimes for variety and it turned out well.

If I'm having a bad craving for biryani I'll get the Saffron Road biryani from the frozen food aisle. I have seen it at Target, at some organic food stores etc. They nailed the smell, the spice is on the lighter side but it will satiate my craving.

Just a warning: The Kitchens of India stuff recently changed their recipe (and the packaging is now blue). It's now a good bit higher in carbs -- from 3g/serving to 7g/serving.

Amazon link for the new stuff

I haven’t had it there yet! I’ve been making my own ever since I discovered these packets off Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS I know it’s cheating to use one of those but wow does it taste delicious. I finish it off with coconut milk and naan!

• I'm obsessed with Thai food, I love making Thai curries (super easy too), I found you can get the cans on Amazon, but I find them at a local Asian market for ~$1.50 each. Just chop up veggies/tofu and cook in a big pot for 20min. Serve with rice
• Bean chili is super easy/quick, usually I will pick up black and kidney beans, throw in some diced onion and pepper, add canned tomato and spices, it's delicious and filling (garnish with whatever you like)
• Veggie soups with noodles, egg noodles are particularly good in vegetable soups
• There are a lot of good recipes on youtube as well

I would think so. I don’t know if it exists for Indo-Pak curries, butbfor japanese curry there are these that you just mix with water and are pretty decent

Yep, pad thai is pretty easy.

Also, Maesri brand curry paste is a great base for making your own curry. With coconut milk, some veggies and protein, you have a pretty decent curry experience close to some restaurants. Of course, making your own curry paste is better, but I have lots of thai friends who prefer this brand (as do I).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MQhjFbABSKTHY

This one, my roommate turned me on to it and it's damn good, usually use thighs but I had a pound of breast in the freezer so that's what I used this time around, you can mostly ignore the instructions as long as you add enough liquid to simmer in but not so much that it never thickens up, and just cook until the chicken falls apart and the sauce thickens up

Japanese Curry

It's easy, instant, and so delicious/comforting. It should also last a couple of days, so you can have leftovers (day old curry > fresh, btw). You can serve it over rice, udon, ramen, etc.

Pro-tip: using homemade broth instead of water adds depth and umami.

I just made a great dish that was super cheap, easy, very filling and very tasty.

500g frozen/fresh broccoli €0.95 500g fresh Mushrooms €1.25 1 large onion €0.10 2 cloves garlic €0.10 250ml cream subsitute. €0.50 a few dabs of curry paste to taste. €0.20

Total cost €3.10. Makes about 5 servings for me.

for the cury paste I use something like this http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Thai-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS

for the cream subsitute use coconut milk (more expensive), soy cream (less expensive).

Saute your onions, throw in the garlic for 5 minutes. Throw in the broccolli with a bit of water to let them soften up and turn bright green, add the mushrooms. Once everything is smelling nice pour in the cream with equal parts water. let it come to a simmer. Add the curry paste.

Put it over rice, or my current favourite, Buckwheat.