Gunpowder sauce

Ken Lo says this sauce is the difference between Western and Chinese cooking. It’s a different combination of flavours, rather than flavours that aren’t Western. Soy sauce is quintessentially oriental, of course. I use tamari, since I cater to the gluten intolerant.

Ingredients

½ pint soy sauce
5 tbsp sherry
6 tbsp good stock or 1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp sugar
3 slices fresh ginger
½ onion

Method
Simmer everything together in a pan for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Store in the fridge for about a week.

I sometimes like to add a handful of peppercorns and a star anise and other times some coriander seeds.

If I don’t have fresh ginger I use lemon zest, not powdered ginger, which can give a slightly soapy flavour.

Sesame salt or Gomasio

Gomasio adds in a major way to many dishes. It really is seasoning, rather than flavouring. I use it on vegetables, hot and cold, on rice or noodles and in soups. It adds depth and warmth, and is very comforting.
We make it and keep it in a jar.

Recipe for Sesame Salt
3 tbsp sesame seeds
3 hearty pinches of Maldon salt

Method
Heat a heavy-based frying pan or wok.
Put in the sesame seeds and keep stirring until they go golden brown. They’ll pop around a bit – if you’ve got a splatter guard you can use it to keep them in the pan. I don’t bother.
Blend the toasted seeds with the salt. You could use a mini blender, but the best way is grinding them with a pestle.

We have a bowl with grooves in it that I use, but you can use a mortar or a bowl.

You end up with a golden powder with some sesame husks visible in it.
Sprinkle over your food, to your own taste