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
Oh. My. Gosh. My local Chinese restaurant is going out of business now that I have this recipe! Made it yesterday – only modification was that I used half Hoisin and half Oyster sauce for that portion. The stir fry turned out AMAZING and was even better today, carmelized even more in a pan for lunch. Thank you so much for this recipe!
By chance, do you have a recipe for a white sauce? If you create one, I vote for naming it Barry.
Ha ha ha! So glad you love it!!! Hmm – white Chinese sauce? I don’t!!
Can I substitute Chinese rice wine for the Chinese wine?
Thanks!
As long as it’s cooking wine, not drinking wine, then yup!
This my favorite site but needing clarification! I was taught to not use ‘cooking wines’ if recipe calls for ‘Chinese wine’ or ‘rice wine’. Shaoxing is a common Chinese rice wine, but was told not to be confused with the cooking wine of same name as it is saltier. To clarify, do you use the cooking wine? And if so, can that be assumed for all your recipes calling for rice wine, unless otherwise noted? Thank you in advance. I just want to make sure I’m making recipes like you! 😄
Hi Beth! Chinese cooking wine is labelled as such at supermarkets 🙂 Where are you? I can send you links for common brands so you can see the bottles. N x
Thank you!! I am in Portland, Oregon. We have many Asian grocers but none seem to sell the ‘wine’. Liquor stores don’t even have sherry here😳 Grocers only carry the dark sherry. Going today to a Korean grocer to hopefully find gochujang for your beef stir fry😄
Any links would be appreciated. Thank you so much.
Show them the photos in this link! http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2010/02/shaoxing-rice-wine-where-and-how-to-buy-it.html
I hope I haven’t ruined this sauce. I used equal parts light soy and dark soy sauce from the Asian market. I didn’t know the difference. Should I make some adjustments before using it?
Hi Amy! The sauce will be darker in colour but the flavour will be similar! N x
Can this be diluted with chicken stock in place of water?
Hi Eric, sure it can but it doesn’t need it for flavour 🙂 N x
I love Charlie! He has become a staple in our household, and I will often use him to make “end of the week” stirfry, where all the leftovers in the fridge go into the wok. So simple and delicious.
That’s terrific to hear Susan! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review – N x
Hi Nagi, I want to try making this but unfortunately I can’t read the labels on the wines at my local Chinese grocery store 🙁 could you post a link to the characters so I can show someone?
Hi Sonali! Sure thin – here is one! http://www.thegrocer.com.au/tachyon/2012/10/Shoa.jpg
Hi Nagi,
I’m sooo glad I stumbled upon this post! I love your recipes as they always turn out so well 👍
I was reading something the other day about onion, carrot and celery being the “holy trinity” of French and Italian cooking aka a simple flavour base for many recipes…..and wondered if there was a similar concept in Chinese cooking……
And guess what I stumbled upon – your charlie sauce! I make stir fry dishes often, so this is a great help!
Thank you so much 😊
Cheers, Dee
Hi Dee! Nope there’s no similar in Chinese cooking 🙂 It’s more about the sauces! N x
This sauce is amazing! I planned to make a stir fry to clean out all of the leftover veggies, and was looking for a good all purpose sauce. I used only 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and 1/4 cup light soy and 1/4 cup dark, as it’s what I had. Delicious!!!
That’s fantastic to hear Leslie! Thanks for leaving a review! N x ❤️
How long can this be assured in the refrigerator? I’m excited to give this a try!
Weeks! Check the notes 🙂 N x
Hi, I can’t wait to try this recipe. Could you please name a few brands of Chinese Wine that you like?
Hi Coco! Which country are you in? 🙂 N x
Another gorgeous recipe, thanks Nagi! Hubby always knows dinner will be delish when I say “it’s one of Nagi’s”. And Dozer’s latest activities are as eagerly anticipated as the recipes 😁
Thank you for the review Liz, it’s so terrific to hear you enjoyed this! N xx
Do you have a lo mein sauce recipe ?
Hi there! Just use this and add 2 tsp dark soy sauce when you make your noodles. 🙂 N xx
What noodles they use in lo mein for Chinese takeout? And, thank you
Thin egg noodles 🙂 N x
Thank you for sharing your secret sauce, I cant wait to make it after I made stir fry vegis with boneless chicken breast for my wife just using roasted garlic teriyaki sauce by kikkoman. We ate it, but did not taste like restaurant style.
Can I use teriyaki sauce instead ? xo joseph
Hi Joseph! I truly think if you use this per the recipe it will taste more like takeout than a bottle teriyaki sauce! 🙂 N x
To do stir fry veg…can you use frozen or fresh.
Which is better.
Great sauce! I’ve been looking for the perfect stir-fry sauce for me and now I’ve found it. I really like the ability to customize the sauce using the Base Flavourings and Additional Flavouring Suggestions.
That’s great to hear Bobi! Thanks for letting me know – N xx
My husband is allergic to shell fish. What could I use to substitute for the oyster sauce?
Hi! Hoisin is a great sub, you’ll get a slight Chinese Five Spice flavour which is lovely! In fact, I add it when I make stir fries using this sometimes 🙂 N xx
My husband just loved this sauce! Can’t wait to make stir fry for him again. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
That’s so great to hear Michelle! Thanks for letting me know – N xx
I made this sauce and it taste amazing..thanks for sharing : )
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it! N xx
Hi Nagi, Thank you soooo much for ALL of your fabulous recipes! My kids and I have MANY favorites, but Charlie has got to be my utmost favorite, I ALWAYS have a jar of him in the fridge. I have gotten into the habit of slicing up and freezing any leftover meat, that is not quite enough to do for leftovers the next day, but boy, does it ever go a long way for those unexpected guests, or just, what’s for dinner tonight, cause I’ve always got plenty of veggies in the fridge, toss em in the wok, add the meat and Charlie and WOW every time!
,
I’m so thrilled you love Charlie as much as I do!! I literally just landed this morning after 3 weeks in Canada and the US and the first thing I am making is a fresh jar of Charlie. Seriously! 🙂 N xx
I just made this. It was delicious!
That’s terrific to hear Kelsey! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Hello Nagi, I love your recipes! Thank you so much for being so generous with your time and expertise. Do you have a favourite brand of Hoisin sauce that I can purchase here in Australia? The last bottle I bought from my Asian grocery store was very harsh in flavour. Thank you in advance for any advice.
Gosh sorry to hear that Vicki! I use Lee Kum Kee from Woolies etc – just avoid the orange one (Ayam brand), it doesn’t taste quite right. I made that mistake for the first time a few months ago, ended up tossing the whole bottle. N x