Hoisin Sauce

I bought some Hoisin sauce from Whole Paycheck, and even from that supposedly-natural source, this jar has a lot of dodgy ingredients.  SOOOO… Make-Over Time!!!  I am going to make my own.  I found a couple of recipes on-line that I’ll use as inspiration, and I’ll list them at the bottom of this blog post.  While both recipes are on Food.com, they have different authors and somewhat different ingredients, but both say either black bean paste OR peanut butter can be used.  Since black bean paste wasn’t forthcoming in my neck of the woods (at least not immediately, and I had no time to go the extra mile driving looking for it), I went with peanut butter.

Sorry, hoisin sauce is naturally non-photogenic…

I assume you can also sub in the equivalent amount of cashew butter if you are peanut-sensitive (or on a Paleo plan), but in my case I have a nasty “gut” reaction to many tree nuts, and don’t like cashews enough to find out if they are part of the exception or the rule.  Peanuts don’t do that to me.

Prep Time:  10 minutes.
Cook Time: Not needed 
Rest Time: Not needed
Serves:  As a condiment, it depends on your planned use.

Hoisin Sauce (Peanuts or Black Bean)

• 8 tablespoons low sodium gluten-free tamari  (Again, I’m partial to San-J’s brand)
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter (or black bean paste) – I selected a peanut butter with no additives, including no added salt.  Add more peanut butter/black bean paste if you need it.
• 2 tablespoons organic coconut palm sugar (or sub honey, or molasses)
• 4 teaspoons plain rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or 2 finely minced garlic cloves
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/4 – 1.5 teaspoons Korean hot pepper powder OR 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of Chinese hot sauce (I used 1/4 teaspoon of the Korean pepper powder as I wasn’t certain of the heat tolerance of everyone who would be partaking.)   Start low, add more as desired.  For myself, I’ll up the amount next time.
• 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper.
• If you are really missing the salt, add some — but I’d rather add it directly while cooking, not putting it into the condiment prior to cooking with it.

Mix.  Cook with it.  Use it as a dip.  Re-mix if you store it before using (store in fridge, of course).

From Food.Com, Homemade Hoisin Sauce.
From Food.Com, Hoisin Sauce Recipe.

Included in the Real Food Friday Link Party, and in the Fiesta Friday Link Party.