1Combine soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, chili paste, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, ground szechuan peppercorn, white pepper, and MSG (or salt if omitting MSG) in a pot.
2Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch and water in a separate container, then set aside.
3Heat the sauce base on the stove over medium heat and blend well, bringing to a gentle simmer to dissolve the sugar.
4Stir the cornstarch slurry, add it slowly to the sauce, and simmer for one to two minutes until thickened.
Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chili paste, fresh
2 tsp sesame oil
4 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 tsp szechuan peppercorn, ground
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp msg
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch
Equipment
potstovewhiskspoon
Tips
Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for the ground szechuan peppercorn if unavailable.
The sauce pairs well with any protein, vegetables, noodles, or rice.