Have you tried XO Sauce, what did / Do you think of it? Whats it like?!
Answers: Ive just ordered Chinese and one of the dishes is chicken in XO Sauce...I don't normally order what I don't know but I was feeling daring tonight, now I'm nervous lol
"XO Sauce" is clever marketing by some Hong Kong whiz 'food technologist' (most likely employed in a sauce making factory. They figured that by using a 'better' quality dried sea produce (scallops, shrimps, etc), affix it with the "XO" label they'd be able to charge a different price point. They were spot on.
Hong Kong is the world's biggest market for cognac and "XO" (brandy) has a superior snob appeal to status conscious Chinese who gulp glasses after glasses at dinner functions.
Chinese households (everywhere) that avoid using msg in home cooking invariably rely on dried shrimps, anchovies, scallops, squids etc as natural flavor enhancers in their daily cooking. XO sauce can serve as an excellent substitute to msg and/or oyster sauce for Chinese cuisine.
Don't be nervous, you are in for a gastronomic delight. Enjoy!
its made from dried scallops, chilli, spring onion, garlic and spice and seasoning..it takes a LONG LONG time to prepare. But when done properly, its well worth the EFFORT.
YUMMY!!
It was XO-lent.
I buy mine in my Asian/Chinese store in Toronto, ON Canada, and it is a nice flavour base for fish, seafood, chicken and pork, as a marinate with lots of ginger, garlic, soya sauce and cooking wine. I used it in a smoked duck with wild plum and ginger dish when I worked in Singapore.
It is nice with stir frys, braised dishes and steamed fish, once it is cooked it has a very fragrant taste, it is a bit expensive but is worth it.
Taste wise it has very complex flavour, it is nice for all dishes even with a bit of veg in a stir fry. Just watch how much you use if you buy some, but your in for a treat.
I like fried chicken. It's great with mustard. LMAO!