Japanese home cooking has incorporated many recipes inspired by China and other Asian countries, particularly for preparing vegetables, tofu, noodles, meat and seafood. Alongside yakitori, teriyaki and sukiyaki sauces, these seasonings offer spicier, sweet-and-sour or peanut-based flavour profiles.
Oyster sauce gives stir-fried dishes a deep, salty flavour rich in umami, while shiitake sauces offer a plant-based character particularly well suited to tofu and vegetables. Tobanjan, made from fermented broad beans and chilli, is one of the essential seasonings for mabodofu and also adds heat to stir-fried dishes. Thai sweet chilli sauces and plum sauces pair easily with fried foods, grilled dishes and food served with a dipping sauce.
Milder and creamier, peanut satay sauces can be used as a condiment, dressing or base for noodles, while Pad Thai sauces combine the sweet, salty and tangy flavours characteristic of this dish.
