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A relatively new addition to Chinas ancient culinary repertoire, XO sauce has a history shrouded in mystery. Tony Tan reveals its secrets.
Some Chinese gourmands call it the emperor of sauces, others the king. Chefs and restaurateurs jealously guard its recipe, and top-drawer Chinese restaurants proudly offer this classy condiment to their valued clients. XO sauce, to the ever-food-conscious Chinese, raises much comment in any Chinese restaurant worth its salt. Considering its consumed mostly as a condiment, dip or appetiser, and can cost some hundreds of dollars to prepare, this must be one of the most luxurious food indulgences in the world. It stands head and shoulders above the rest of Chinese sauces not only because of its expense but also because it represents the continued evolution of Chinese cuisine, based on a very sound knowledge of ingredients.

So what is XO sauce? Named after XO Cognac to symbolise wealth, status and exclusivity, this savoury, glossy relish is made essentially from fresh and dried chillies, shallots, garlic, top-quality dried scallops (conpoy), dried shrimps and Yunnan or Jinhua ham; these last three ingredients are especially appreciated for their intensity and complex flavour.

Dried scallops, depending on their quality, can cost up to $300 per kilogram. When buying, ask for the stash held behind the counter at Chinese grocers thats where youll find all the good stuff. Yunnan and Jinhua ham are also costly theyre akin to jamn and prosciutto, and these are good substitutes as Chinese ham is difficult to find in Australia.

These ingredients, along with shallots, ginger and garlic, are cooked over medium heat for up to an hour and a half, resulting in a multi-layered and robust paste with an intriguing nose. The diner first tastes the chilli, then the amalgam of seafood, before the ham takes over, releasing intense, complex and glorious flavours that burst in the mouth. Its extremely moreish, spicy, salty and sweet; if youre a chilli-lover, youll find it near impossible to say no to XO sauce.

XOs culinary history, although relatively short, is shrouded in secrecy and mystery. The general consensus seems to be that it first appeared in the early 80s, somewhere in the top-end seafood restaurants of Hong Kong. Spring Moon, the Chinese restaurant at The Peninsula, is often credited with its invention, while others believe the seafood restaurants in Kowloons Tsim Sha Tsui district are more likely to have been reponsible for

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its creation.

Irrespective of its birthplace, theres no denying this rich sauces ability to add that extra something special to many a dish. Its delicious with prawn dumplings such as har gau, or a plate of stir-fried scallops, or braised Cantonese egg noodles (yi meen) with prawns, or as a topping on beancurd. Its also excellent tossed through steamed mussels as we have done here. Although its possible to buy XO in a jar, it really doesnt compare. As labour-intensive and expensive as it is, you wont fail to be impressed by this king of sauces.

XO sauce
Serves 0 Cooking Time Prep time 30 mins, cook 40 mins

25 gm dried scallops 75 gm dried prawns 250 ml (1 cup) vegetable oil, or just enough to cover all the ingredients 75 gm garlic (about 20 cloves), finely chopped 75 gm red shallots (about 6), finely chopped 50 gm jamn or prosciutto, finely shredded 25 gm fresh long red chillies (about 6), seeded and finely chopped 15 gm dried long red chillies, seeded, soaked and finely chopped 7 gm dried birdseye chillies, finely chopped 5 gm roasted shrimp paste (belacan; see note) 2 tbsp dried shrimp roe, crumbled (see note; optional) 15 gm sugar, or to taste

1 Soak dried scallops and dried prawns separately in 125ml hot water each until plump (preferably overnight). 2 Drain scallops (reserve soaking water), tear them into fine shreds, pat dry on absorbent paper and set aside. Drain prawns (reserve water), chop them finely and set aside. 3 Heat half the oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat, add scallops and deep-fry until very crisp (1-2 minutes; cover with lid as they may spit). Drain well, reserve oil. Wipe out wok with absorbent paper, add reserved oil and remaining oil and return to medium heat. 4 Add garlic, shallots and dried prawns and stir continuously until golden brown (4-5 minutes). 5 Add jamn, fresh chilli and dried chilli, fry for a few seconds (be careful, it may burn easily), then add shrimp paste, fried scallops and reserved scallop and prawn water and stir continuously for a few more seconds. 6 Add remaining ingredients and a pinch of salt and stir occasionally until fragrant and water has completely evaporated (20-30 minutes). Remove from heat, strain (reserve oil), transfer solids to a sterile jar, then pour in enough reserved oil to cover. Makes about 2 cups. XO sauce will keep refrigerated in a sealed container for 1 month. Note This recipe makes about 500gm. Youll need to begin this recipe a day ahead. To roast shrimp paste, wrap in aluminium foil and roast at 200C until

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fragrant (4-5 minutes). Dried shrimp roe is available from Asian grocers. This recipe is from the November 2009 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

WORDS TONY TAN RECIPE TONY TAN PHOTOGRAPHY BEN DEARNLEY STYLING EMMA KNOWLES

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