This is my secret weapon for seriously fast midweek meals: an Authentic Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce that takes minutes to make and can be stored in the fridge for weeks. Plenty of flavour just used plain but also fantastic with extra flavourings added, this Stir Fry Sauce is sensational used for both stir fries and stir fried noodles.
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
My Swiss Army knife of Stir Fry Sauces!
Restaurant Secret: you know when you go to a packed Asian restaurant or take out during lunch hour and you’re handed a plate of fresh-out-of-the-wok stir fry 5 minutes after ordering? I hate to disappoint you, but the cooks standing over the flames aren’t throwing together 10 ingredient sauce mixes for every single dish…….What they actually use are ready made sauces as a base, then add additional flavours for different dishes.
These all purpose stir fry sauces are closely guarded secrets of restaurants – you won’t uncover them simply by googling, that’s for sure! Today I’m sharing mine. I call him Charlie (as in Charlie Brown….as in “Brown Sauce”, which stir fry sauces are commonly referred to as). Perfected and tweaked over years, I’ve been loyal to Charlie for a decade (and counting).
The brilliant thing about Charlie is that you make him just by combining the ingredients in a jar, them just store him in the fridge where he’ll happily reside for weeks – months even. Then you simply heat some oil in a wok, throw in whatever proteins, vegetables and noodles you want, then throw Charlie in with some water and he’ll magically transform into a thick, glossy sauce that lusciously coats your stir fry. He’s great plain, but so versatile too – add heat, herbs, fruity sweetness or some tang. I’ve provided some of my favourite variations in the recipe below.
In the recipe below, I’ve provided the basic “formula” for using Charlie and I’ve also written a separate post on how to Build Your Own Chinese Stir Fried Noodles.
Update: At the request of a number of readers, I’ve put together a post with 10 Classic Chinese Takeout Meals using this sauce – meals in a flash!
And it’s as easy as that!
I’d love to know what you think if you give “Charlie” a go! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce (Charlie!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup Chinese wine (or dry sherry) (Note 5)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch / cornflour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil , toasted
- 1 tsp ground white pepper (I sometimes use 1 tbsp, I like the spiciness!)
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. Store in fridge and shake before use.
Amount to Use (Note 6):
- Stir Fry: I use 3 tbsp Stir Fry Sauce + 6 tbsp water to make a stir frying for 2 people using around 5 cups of uncooked ingredients (proteins + vegetables).
- Noodles: I use 3 tbsp of the Stir Fry sauce + 5 – 6 tbsp water to make a noodle stir fry for 2 people using around 7 cups of the combined stir fry uncooked (vegetables – packed, proteins + noodles – if using).
- By weight (Noodles & Stir Fry): Around 3 tbsp Stir Fry Sauce per 1 lb / 500g of combined ingredients (proteins + vegetables + noodles if using) plus 1/3 cup water.
To Use:
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok over high heat.
- Add your choice of Base Flavourings – fry for 10 seconds or so to infuse oil.
- Add stir fry ingredients in order of time to cook (starting with ingredients that take longest to cook), leaving leafy greens, like the leaves of bok choy, until when you add the sauce (otherwise they will wilt and overcook).
- Add noodles (if using), sauce and water, your choice of Additional Flavourings and any leafy greens.
- Gently toss to combine and to let the sauce cook for around 1 minute. The sauce will become a thick, glossy sauce that coats your stir fry.
- Serve immediately with rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Base Flavourings
- Garlic, minced or finely sliced
- Ginger, minced or finely sliced
- Fresh chillies, minced or finely sliced
Additional Flavouring Suggestions
- Sriracha, Chilli Bean Paste or other Spicy addition
- Sweet chilli sauce
- Substitute the water with pineapple or orange juice
- Rice vinegar – for a touch of tartness
- Fresh cilantro / coriander leaves, or thai basil – for freshness
- Garlic or ordinary chives, chopped
- Pinch of Chinese five spice powder
I’ve looked for and tried many “stir fry” recipes, but never found the right tasting sauce until now! Thank you Nagi, for sharing something that is easy and delicious. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. I used chicken stock instead of the water and it was great!
Hi Nagi
You are my favourite online cook and I’m constantly saving your delicious recipes. It’s a bonus that we are both in Sydney and I can easily find products you recommend, unlike so many foreign cooks. Dozer is such a sweetheart too.
Quick meal:
1 bag frozen Asian vegetables
1 tub tofu (any firmness)
Brown sauce, as needed
1. Heat veg mix/tofu in microwave
2. Toss veg+tofu into saucepan, on medium/high
3. Add sauce, stir/toss until thickened.
4. Serve alongside rice (or plain).
You get the idea.
Perfect Thomas! N x
Perfect!
Thank you so much for this recipe, it’s so easy to make and tastes amazing in my stir fry!
I just want to tell you that this has been my absolute favourite sauce recipe for over 5 years. It’s always in my refrigerator and is the foundation of the best meals.
Wahoo, thanks so much Cheryl!! N x
Best ever recipes!
I found this recipe on your site quite a while ago and have never stopped using it. It is awesome. Thank you for sharing.
I love Recipes
My six year old daughter loved this sauce and even everything,even the vegetables! She wanted me to thank you for the recipe. So, thank you!
Hi Naga, I haven’t tried this one yet but have tried many of your others and will rate them all 5 star! On this recipe for the base sauce, I see you use soy sauce, is it ok to sub with organic coconut aminos (I use Coco fina Natural soy sauce alternative) as I can’t use regular soy sauce? Thank you for your lovely recipes!
Hi Marti, I haven’t tried to be honest but would love to know if it works! N x
The perfect starting ground for me… This is dead on. I like a little more heat so added some Asian garlic sauce, touch of honey, and fresh garlic to match my “left overs” profiles.
Thank you… will definitely try this…. Looks YUM
Awesome sauce, Wonderful taste. Easily adaptable to GF with San-J GF base sauces.
Amazing recipe, the whole family love it, made it twice so far and we are in love
Tonight we made your recipe, It was absolutely delicious!!!
We used chicken breast, onion, asparagus & green beans.
It was absolutely perfect, My kids licked their plates clean, even the picky one 🙂
Thank you for another outstanding recipe Nagi!
Wahoo, thanks so much for letting me know Diana! N x
Love your recipes, and cooked a lot of them. I can’t have oysters, so I avoid any recipe with oyster sauce in it. Sometimes I replace it with hoisin sauce. Could you recommend a substitute for the Oyster sauce?
Thank you!
Hi Carmela, you can get an mushroom based oyster sauce which is the best substitute. N x
Thank you. I tried to find it, without success. Will try again
Hi Carmela, you may want to look for it under “vegetarian oyster sauce”, that’s how I found it.
What about coconut amino acid substitute for soy sauce? My husband has celiac.
Yes definitely Linda! N x
I made a very similar stir fry I’ve been doing for some time. I just want to say how much I learned and enjoyed finding this site!
Thank you so much!! N x
I love your website and come here all the time for recipes Nagi. Thanks for all the work you do and including your pups. Outstanding!!
Thanks so much for the great feedback Cate, I really appreciate it! N x
Just put together your all Purpose Stir Fry Sauce. Question: If I mixed at a one part Sauce to two parts water that would save a step in cooking. 1 1/2 cup sauce plus 3 cups water = 4 1/2 cups sauce ready to go. Would there be any issue doing it this way? (storage life, etc?) thank you!
Micheal I”m glad you asked becuz I’ve made it several times now and wondered the same thing…I use the “sauce” amounts of 1 part sauce to 2 parts water always so may give it a try to skip that step when cooking…Let me know if YOU do and how it works out for YOU! Thanks!
Hi Michael, depends on what recipe you’re using the sauce for – I use this sauce in a few recipes where the water quantity differs. – N x