XO-ish Sauce

Proper XO sauce is a Hong Kong invention built on dried scallops, dried shrimp and cured ham, all fried down in oil with plenty of chilli and garlic. Dried scallops are expensive and hard to find, so this is my “XO-ish” version, leaning on dried shrimp and whatever cured ham offcuts I have around. Spoon it over rice, eggs, greens, noodles or fish, basically anything that needs a hit of umami.

Ingredients

• 100g dried shrimp
• 100g cured ham (ends and offcuts are perfect)
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 banana shallots
• 4 red chillies (deseeded for less heat)
• 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
• 300ml groundnut oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp caster sugar

Method

1. Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain
2. Pulse the shrimp in a food processor until finely shredded, then set aside
3. Pulse the ham to a similar texture and set aside
4. Finely chop the garlic, shallots and chillies (or pulse them together in the processor)
5. Heat the oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the shallots, garlic and chilli until softened and just starting to colour
6. Add the shrimp and ham and turn the heat down to low
7. Cook gently for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring regularly, until everything is a deep golden brown and the oil is stained red
8. Stir in the chilli flakes, soy and sugar and cook for a final 5 minutes
9. Leave to cool, then transfer to sterilised jars, making sure the solids are covered by the oil
10. Store in the fridge for up to a month

Notes

Low and slow is the whole game here. You’re gently frying the moisture out of everything so it keeps and the flavour concentrates. If it’s sizzling hard, turn it down.

If you can get dried scallops, swap half the shrimp for them and you’re much closer to the real thing.

Inspiration

XO sauce comes from the kitchens of 1980s Hong Kong. This version sits in the same cupboard-project category as the tuna mojama, a bit of effort up front for weeks of payoff.