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
Thank you so much for this, Nagi. It is truly a perfect base sauce–the consistency is exactly what I have been looking for and never seem to achieve (mine is usually too liquid-y). Also, a special thank-you for listing non-alcoholic options in this recipe. I am Muslim and so don’t drink or cook with alcohol, and find that far too many recipes do not list suitable substitutes. Used the apple juice as directed and the taste was fabulous.
Thanks so much for the awesome feedback Christina!
Love this sauce. I have used many of your recipes. Would love to see a recipe with boiled eggs
Family at creek house farm : I disable veteran one Service Dog “Ms. stella, one Sun Conure, four hens four guineas and soon to add one house cat to control mice
Real Purpose Chinese Stir Fry Sauce.
WOW!!! This recipe is a keeper. I didn’t have white pepper so I just used black and added a pinch of Chinese Five Spice and a little Sharaka sauce. This is the very best stir fry sauce. Mine tastes even better than Chinese take out. Thank you Nagi for sharing this.
Woot! You won’t need to buy takeout again!
Nagi I just made this also the 2 time today and LOVE THE RECIPE) and made it with black pepper bc my store doesn’t sell white pepper. Is there a difference in taste from black to white? and if so how and how much? TY
Delicious recipe!! Thank you so much. I made tofu broccoli with this. My husband and I ate the whole batch. He requested it again the very next night. What a game changer for quick meals. Thank you, thank you!!
Nagi, Thank you for sharing Charlie with us. This is now my go-to stir fry sauce. Comes in very handy especially for a quick but delicious meal!
That’s awesome Bambi!
Entire family loved this. Couldn’t find Chinese cooking wine so went with chicken broth plus apple cider vinegar which was all I had on hand and even my picky son loved it!! Thank you!
Sounds like you nailed it Dawn, fantastic!!
I’ve been meaning to make this sauce for a while now and I finally did tonight and so pleased I did. It’s very nice and so simple. I accidentally left the sugar out and only realised when I was entering the recipe into my collection, but honestly I think I’ll continue making it without the sugar as it was delicious as is and I get too much sugar in my diet as it is haha. Thanks Nagi, love it.
I’m so glad you finally tried it Suzie ❤️
I made and used this the other night for a vegetable/tofu stir-fry. Even with only 1 tbsp of sugar I found it to be too sweet for my taste. I “neutralized” that with a tbsp or two of black vinegar (acid to counteract sweetness).
Next time I’ll simply omit the sugar.
But: It works great! Especially since it’s so customizable and versatile.
Thank you!
Hi Thomas, sorry you found it sweet, did you use all the other quantities of ingredients the same? But you’re right, you can always omit it if you prefer – N x
So Glad to have found this it’s an amazing recipe to have on hand. May I ask your preferred brand/s of oyster sauce ?
I find they all taste so different and have been to numerous Asian grocers in the area and there are sooo many to choose from
Hi Janelle, I usually use Lee Kim Kee or Ayam ☺️
I have made this 3 times so far and its absolutely so versatile and I love, love love this and I thank you for sharing!
You’re so welcome Mary!
can’t wait to try this!!!
You’ll love it! – N x
Made a bottle of Charlie to use tonight in your chicken chow mein! Smells fantastic and looks so lovely in the re-used soy sauce bottle (soaked off the label and cleaned it up) that i’m thinking of making bottles of it for family members! Can’t wait to try it tonight 🙂
Yes!! It makes such a great gift ☺️
The Charlie sauce is amazing. Finally a good, authentic Chinese sauce
Hi, can’t wait to try this! Will it freeze ok?
Hi Su, I store mine in the fridge but I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze it – N x
This recipe is outstanding I have used it two nights in a row. This has led me to look at your ebooks which I can’t wait to delve into and cook some stunning dishes this weekend. Thank you Nagi.
hi Nagi,
You are using Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce for this recipe right? Have you try Kikkoman Oyster Flavored Sauce, No Added MSG brand? Would it make the taste not as good? Any brand you would recommend? thanks
Hi Nicole, I haven’t tried to be honest, I’ll look into it!
Hi Nagi,
My oyster sauce has MSG. Is there something that I can substitute for it?
Warmly,
Julie
Hi Julie, possibly the mushroom “oyster” sauce – im not sure if it has MSG or not however.
I never, never leave comments but this sauce is so wonderful I just had to tell you! I used hoisan and the stock for wine subs for my first stir fry and loved it so much I used the sauce again the next day! I plan to pass the recipe to my son and grandson who both love to cook.
That’s such a great compliment, thanks so much Bonita!
This sauce looks and sounds incredible. I would like to try it but cannot have oyster sauce because of food allergies. I would like to know it there is something I could substitute for the oyster sauce. Thank you. Love your site and recipes.
Hi Mary, there is a mushroom based “oyster” sauce and it’s a pretty good substitute ☺️
This sauce looks amazing. I would love to try it but can’t have oyster sauce due to food allergies. Is there anything you could suggest for a substitute for this. Thank you very much