Does XO sauce have alcohol?

No. Even though it is named after XO cognac, XO sauce does not contain alcohol. Since it is made from expensive dried seafood and Jinjua ham, the name is meant to indicate that it is of luxurious quality.

What is XO sauce made of?

Different brands will have different ingredients. But XO sauce is made of dried seafood like dried shrimp, fish, scallops, as well as Jinhua ham, garlic, shallots or onion, chili peppers, sometimes oyster sauce and/or extract, and soybean oil. Some versions will also be made with abalone.

Why is XO sauce expensive?

Since it is made of expensive ingredients such as dried seafood and Jinhua ham, XO sauce is one of the pricier Asian sauces on the market.

Does XO sauce need to be refrigerated?

Once the jar has been opened, seal tightly and store in the refrigerator. Consume by the expiry date.

Where to buy char siu pork?

You can buy char siu pork from a Chinese BBQ/roast meat shop ( siu mei - 燒味) in Chinatown, or from a Cantonese restaurant. Here in Hong Kong, it is available at several Chinese BBQ/roast meat shops that are all over the city.

Is char siu pork healthy?

It is relatively healthy if eaten in moderation, especially when made from a lean pork cut like pork butt/shoulder and not pork belly.

XO Sauce Fried Rice (with Char Siu Pork and Shrimp)

Name: XO Sauce Fried Rice (with Char Siu Pork and Prawns)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: 2.5 TBLS XO Sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee Extra Hot XO Sauce, but regular XO Sauce either store-bought or homemade will work); 2 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce; 1 TBLS Shao Xing Rice Wine; 1 TSP Dark Soy Sauce; ½ TSP Sesame Oil; ½ TBLS Chinese Chili Oil (optional – with flakes and seeds, store-bought or homemade), to taste; 3 TBLS Canola Oil (or any other neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point); 1 Extra Large Egg; ½ TBLS Chili Oil (optional – pure chili oil without flakes/seeds); ½ medium Yellow Onion – finely chopped; 1 Spring Onion (Scallion/Green Onion) – finely chopped, white and green parts separated; 6 Garlic cloves – minced; 1 TBLS minced Ginger; 2-10 fresh Red Chilies (Bird’s Eye or any other small hot chili will work), to taste – finely chopped; 100 grams / 3.5 ounces peeled and deveined Shrimp (or Prawns, size 16/20 recommended) – rinsed well and pat-dried; 150 – 170 grams / 5.3 – 6 ounces Char Siu Pork (Chinese BBQ pork, store-bought or homemade) – thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces; 3 cups cooked Long Grain Rice (such as Thai jasmine rice. Cold day-old rice works best.); ¼ – ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste; ¼ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste; ¼ TSP ground White Pepper, to taste; 1 – 1.5 cups Mung Bean Sprouts – soaked in a bowl of water for 15 minutes in the fridge, then rinsed and drained

XO Sauce Fried Rice (with Char Siu Pork and Prawns)

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Juicy jumbo shrimp, char siu pork (Chinese BBQ pork), fragrant aromatics, scrambled egg, and crisp veggies come together in this luxurious, savory-sweet and spicy XO Sauce Fried Rice!

Author: Lavina
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 12
Total Time: 27 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stir-fry
Cuisine: Cantonese

Ingredients

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For the Sauce:

2.5 TBLS XO Sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee Extra Hot XO Sauce, but regular XO Sauce either store-bought or homemade will work)
2 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
1 TBLS Shao Xing Rice Wine
1 TSP Dark Soy Sauce
½ TSP Sesame Oil
½ TBLS Chinese Chili Oil (optional – with flakes and seeds, store-bought or homemade), to taste

For the XO Sauce Fried Rice:

3 TBLS Canola Oil (or any other neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point)
1 Extra Large Egg
½ TBLS Chili Oil (optional – pure chili oil without flakes/seeds)
½ medium Yellow Onion – finely chopped
1 Spring Onion (Scallion/Green Onion) – finely chopped, white and green parts separated
6 Garlic cloves – minced
1 TBLS minced Ginger
2–10 fresh Red Chilies (Bird’s Eye or any other small hot chili will work), to taste – finely chopped
100 grams / 3.5 ounces peeled and deveined Shrimp (or Prawns, size 16/20 recommended) – rinsed well and pat-dried
150 – 170 grams / 5.3 – 6 ounces Char Siu Pork (Chinese BBQ pork, store-bought or homemade) – thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 cups cooked Long Grain Rice (such as Thai jasmine rice. Cold day-old rice works best.)
¼ – ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
¼ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
¼ TSP ground White Pepper, to taste
1 – 1.5 cups Mung Bean Sprouts – soaked in a bowl of water for 15 minutes in the fridge, then rinsed and drained

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Instructions

Prep:

Prepare the fresh ingredients: Crack the egg into a small bowl, then season with kosher salt to taste and lightly beat. Chop/prepare the yellow onion, spring onion (make sure to separate the white and green parts), garlic, ginger, red chilies, and char siu pork as indicated in the ‘Ingredients’ section. Rinse and pat-dry the shrimp. Place the mung bean sprouts in a bowl filled with cold water, then place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rejuvenate them. Remove from the fridge when ready to cook, and rinse and drain. Set everything aside.
Make the sauce: Combine the XO Sauce, low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and Chinese chili oil in a small measuring cup (or bowl). Mix well with a spoon until combined well, then set aside.

For the XO Sauce Fried Rice:

Cook the egg: Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, pour in the egg and allow to set for 15-20 seconds. Then scramble until 70% cooked. (No need to break into small pieces until later when adding it back into the fried rice.) It should still be slightly runny and uncooked. Transfer back into the bowl you beat the eggs in and set aside.
Stir-fry the aromatics: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil and pure chili oil (if using) in the wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the yellow onion and spring onion white parts. Sauté for a minute until the onion has slightly softened. Add the garlic, ginger, and red chilies. Stir-fry to combine for 30-40 seconds until fragrant.
Cook the shrimp and add char siu pork: Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute, tossing occasionally, until they start to develop some color. Then add the char siu pork and stir-fry for another minute.
Add the rice and sauce: Add the rice and pour the sauce on top. Stir-fry, using a scooping motion to break up the clumps, until the rice is evenly coated in the sauce.
Add the seasonings and egg: Season with freshly cracked black pepper, kosher salt, and ground white pepper to taste, and add the semi-cooked egg back into the wok. Break up the egg into small pieces with your spatula, and stir-fry to combine everything.
Toss through the mung bean sprouts and spring onion greens: Add the mung bean sprouts and spring onion green parts. Toss for 20 seconds until combined well and the bean sprouts have slightly wilted, then switch off the heat.
To Serve: Divide the fried rice evenly onto plates (or into bowls). Garnish with more chopped spring onion if desired and serve immediately.

Lee Kum Kee XO Sauce (Regular)

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Notes

XO Sauce: This is a savory umami-packed Cantonese sauce made from dried seafood, Jinhua pork, aromatics, and chili peppers. You can find it at an Asian supermarket. I used Lee Kum Kee Extra Hot XO Sauce, but you can use the regular kind if a milder flavor is desired. There are several brands available, but Lee Kum Kee is the most readily available brand outside of Hong Kong. Feel free to use a homemade one if you prefer.
Be careful not to add too much oil from the XO sauce jar when measuring it out for the sauce. You want a little bit of oil for some of the spicy flavors it has, but not too much so that the fried rice is drowning in oil.
Storing and leftovers: Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave on high power, stirring once in between, until hot throughout.
Recipe inspired by Marion’s Kitchen and egg cooking method adopted from the The Woks of Life.