Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce is a thick, dark condiment originating from Asian cuisine, made from oyster extracts, soy sauce, sugar, and starch. It has a rich, sweet-salty flavor with a pronounced umami character. It was created in China in the late 19th century and is now an essential ingredient in Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Cambodian cooking. It is used for marinating meat, as a base for sauces, and in stir-fry dishes, vegetable preparations, noodles, and rice-based meals. It adds a dark color and depth of flavor to dishes. Although it originates from oysters, the resulting taste is not strongly fishy.