There is something wonderfully enticing about Chinese cooking, from the rich condiments to the intensely flavoured spices that create aromatic dishes. If you have ever tried to cook Chinese dishes from scratch, you will know that they can be quite complicated, and they often require several different elements to make these delicious flavours. There is no need to be confused with Chinese cooking in this day and age, and here at HiYou Supermarket we stock a huge range of tasty ready-made sauces to make Chinese cooking simple and easy. We are going to look at some of our favourite Lee Kum Kee products that are kitchen heroes when it comes to making fresh, quick, and easy mid-week meals without the hassle.

Lee Kum Kee Chilli Bean Sauce

Lee Kum Kee Chili bean sauce is the kitchen go to for a quick and tasty meal. Sometimes known as Toban Djan, this sauce is a hot and savoury Chinese bean paste made from fermented broad beans, chili peppers, salt, flour, and soya beans. It is typically used in Sichuan cuisine and is an essential ingredient to the famous Kun Pao chicken. The Lee Kum Kee Chili Bean sauce mixes fermented soya bean paste with garlic and chilli pepper to give your dishes an oriental twist. Use it as a stand-alone ingredient or add to stir fries and vegetarian meals for a delicious and fiery twist! The Lee Kum Kee Chili bean sauce is suitable for vegetarians and vegans, so no one has to miss out, and contains no added preservatives or colouring.

Lee Kum Kee Teriyaki Sauce

The Lee Kum Kee Teryiaki Sauce is the perfect all-rounder for your kitchen cupboard – you can use it as a marinade for beef, chicken or seafood, use it as a base for other sauces or add to your stir fries for a midweek taste sensation! The Lee Kum Kee Teriyaki sauce is a beautiful combination of sweet and tangy spices, with a hint of salt thanks to the rich soy sauce base, it truly is a kitchen hero and one that you definitely need for your cupboards. Our favourite way of using the Lee Kum Kee Teriyaki sauce is to brush onto chicken, beef or vegetable kebabs and leave to marinade for at least an hour before oven cooking or grilling – you really can’t get an easier dinner!

Lee Kum Kee Black Bean Sauce

If you are looking for convenience and variety, then the Lee Kum Kee Black Bean sauce is the one for you. Made from finest fermented black beans, this sauce is primarily a marinade but can be added to sauces and stir fries for an oriental twist. You can also get the Black Bean sauce with added garlic for an added twist, and Lee Kum Kee also has a Black Bean stir fry sauce available – why not add them all to your kitchen cupboard weekly shop for more range and variety during the week? As with all of our sauces, Lee Kum Kee Black Bean sauce is suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and contains no added flavouring, preservatives or colourings – what more could you want?

Kitchen Staples for easy Chinese cooking

These Lee Kum Kee sauces are the perfect additions to your cupboards to ensure that you always have an amazing go to selection for when you want quick and easy meals. If you want to have a go at making your own Chinese sauces, then these are the kitchen staples that you need to have for your repertoire

1. Light Dark Soy Sauce

Light soy sauce is added to Chinese dishes for flavour and is traditionally made of fermented soya beans, brine, and roasted grains. It is saltier than dark soy sauce and adds a lighter flavour to your dishes.

2. Dark Soy Sauce

Where light soy sauce is added for flavour, dark soy sauce is often added for colour – and you will often see recipes calling for both light and dark soy sauce. Dark Soy sauce is often darker in colour and has a richer, less salty flavour that adds the delicious depth that Chinese cooking is often known for.

3. Chinese cooking wine

Often known as rice wine, Chinese cooking wine is used as a tenderiser in marinades and adds flavour to many oriental sauces and dishes. It is less acidic than other vinegars and has a mild and less sour flavour. Thanks to this, it is perfect for using with raw vegetables, in dipping sauces or to cut through the grease in certain dishes.

4. Hoisin Sauce

This thick, sweet, dark brown sauce is often used as a simple dipping sauce in Western culture, but Hoisin sauce is a very versatile ingredient. It can be used to marinate meat or add depth to sauces and dishes thanks to its slightly sweet taste, with just a hint of heat. The high sugar content makes it perfect for glazing meat before adding it to your dish, just remember to let it marinade for long enough to get all of those tasty flavours!

5. Sesame oil

Sesame oil is used as both a cooking oil and a flavouring in Chinese cooking thanks to its distinctly nutty taste and aroma. You don’t need a large amount to add beautiful flavours to marinades, dips and cooked dishes, and it’s low smoke point makes it one of the best oils to stir fry your veggies in to keep them crisp and fresh.

6. Oyster Sauce

Made from oyster extract and spices, and very often thickened with corn-starch and caramel, oyster sauce is naturally thick, dark, and rich. The syrupy texture clings well to food without having to be mixed with anything else, and is the perfect flavour enhancer for stir fries to get an authentic oriental taste.

7. Chili Paste

Traditionally made from chilli peppers, salt, and garlic, chilli paste makes the perfect base for many Chinese dishes. It adds simple heat to your cooking without altering the flavour too much, so you don’t get anything unwanted in your meals. It is great in meals that already have a complex flavour profile, and its serious spice factor is perfect for those who love a bit of heat!

8. Fish sauce

Unlike oyster sauce, fish sauce is a thin, extremely salty sauce made by fermenting fish – which isn’t as bad as it sounds! It is perfect for adding a rich, salty, slightly fishy taste to savoury dishes, and is often used instead of salt in Southeast Asian cooking. It works well in marinades, sauces and curries, but you need to make sure that you only add a small amount at a time so you don’t overpower your food.

If you have these staples in your cupboard then you will have the base dishes for many different Chinese meals – all you will need is the meat, rice or noodles and specific spices to get started!

Whether you want to experiment and try cooking authentic Chinese dishes yourself, or you want a quick and easy midweek meal we have everything that you will need. Here at HiYou, we stock a wide range of Lee Kum Kee sauces and all the kitchen staples that you need to have a go at cooking Chinese dishes from scratch – browse our entire range online now for some tasty meal ideas.