Liaw family XO sauce

Ingredients

• 50 g dried scallops
• 50 g dried shrimp
• 500 ml (2 cups) peanut oil
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 large red or French shallots, minced
• 6 long fresh red chillies, seeded and minced
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white central core only, finely shredded
• 50 g Jinhua ham or prosciutto, finely shredded
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp chilli powder (preferably Korean)
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

This recipe makes about 500 ml (2 cups).

Soaking time 1 hour

Instructions

1. Soak the scallops and shrimp separately each in 250 ml (1 cup) hot water for at least 1 hour.

2. Drain the scallops well, reserving the soaking liquid, then shred the scallops by pounding them in a mortar to separate the fibres. Roughly grind the drained shrimp in a mortar and pestle as well.

3. Preheat the oven to 100°C.

4. Heat 125 ml (½ cup) of the peanut oil in a medium, oven-proof saucepan over low-medium heat. Fry the garlic, shallots, red chillies and lemongrass for 10 minutes or until fragrant and softened.

5. Add the shredded scallops, shrimp, ham or prosciutto, salt, sugar, chilli powder, soy sauce and a little of the reserved scallop soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining oil, reduce the heat to very low, then cook for another 10 minutes to allow the oil to infuse.

6. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook, uncovered for 1-2 hours or until the colour intensifies and the sauce is thick, oily and jammy. Transfer to clean jars, then seal and cool.

7. Refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce will keep for about 2 months.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

Destination Flavour China with Adam Liaw airs 7.30pm, Wednesday on SBS and then on SBS On Demand. Visit the program page for recipes, videos and more.