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Dry goods & condiments

Oyster Sauce

An oyster-based savoury sauce used for marinades and stir-fries.

Identification illustration; actual appearance may vary.
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3 identity clues

  • An oyster-based savoury sauce used for marinades and stir-fries.
  • Use for marinating, stir-frying or dipping as directed by the recipe.
  • Confirm the food name and ingredient list on the original label; do not rely on colour, thickness or container shape.
Reading language:
English
Names in other languages
繁體中文
蠔油
English
Oyster Sauce
Bahasa Indonesia
Saus tiram (蠔油)
Tagalog
Sarsa ng talaba / Oyster Sauce (蠔油)

Name in Cantonese (Jyutping): hou4 jau4

What is it?

Oyster sauce is made with oyster extract and other ingredients; formulations vary.

How to identify it

Confirm the food name and ingredient list on the original label; do not rely on colour, thickness or container shape.

Common confusion

This item

Oyster Sauce

  • An oyster-based savoury sauce used for marinades and stir-fries.
  • Use for marinating, stir-frying or dipping as directed by the recipe.
  • Confirm the food name and ingredient list on the original label; do not rely on colour, thickness or container shape.
  • Original label says 生抽 or Light Soy Sauce
  • Usually a pourable brown liquid
  • Ingredients, sodium and allergens come from the label
  • Original label names it 老抽 or Dark Soy Sauce
  • A dark sauce is not automatically a substitute for light soy or oyster sauce
  • Confirm the food name and ingredient list on the original label; do not rely on colour, thickness or container shape.
How to identify it

Oyster sauce differs from light and dark soy. Vegetarian alternatives also require a separate name and ingredient check.

Light Soy Sauce

An unbranded original light soy sauce bottle beside a small amount of pourable brown sauce; the real product label must be read
Identification illustration; actual appearance may vary.

Dark Soy Sauce

Generic blank-label bottle and white dish showing pourable very dark brown dark soy sauce
Identification illustration; actual appearance may vary.

Common Hong Kong household uses

Use for marinating, stir-frying or dipping as directed by the recipe.

Choosing & preparing

Before use, check the food name, ingredient list and allergen statement on the original label; do not rely on this image alone.

Storage

Follow the original label storage directions exactly and keep the container properly closed.

Helper tip

Use the Hong Kong name and confirm the food name and ingredient list on the original label; do not rely on this image alone.

What Ma’am or Sir may say

唔該要蠔油,俾我睇清楚先。

The employer wants Oyster Sauce and asks for it to be checked before purchase.

Useful market phrase

唔該要蠔油,俾我睇清楚先。

Meaning: Oyster Sauce, please. Let me look at it carefully first.

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Oyster Sauce

Generic blank-label bottle and white dish showing thick glossy dark-brown oyster sauce
Identification illustration; actual appearance may vary.

蠔油

Oyster Sauce

Generic blank-label bottle and white dish showing thick glossy dark-brown oyster sauce
Identification illustration; actual appearance may vary.