XO Sauce

Hong Kong’s prestige condiment

XO sauce was created in the early 1980s in Hong Kong’s luxury hotel restaurants — Peninsula Hotel is often credited with its development. It was designed as a premium condiment using the most expensive dried seafood ingredients available. The name “XO” borrows from XO (Extra Old) cognac — the most prestigious grade — not because the sauce contains cognac, but to signal luxury.

What goes into it

The base is a slow-fried mixture of:

• Conpoy (dried scallops) — the most expensive component; intensely savoury and sweet
• Dried shrimp — another layer of concentrated seafood umami
• Jinhua ham — a Chinese salt-cured ham similar to prosciutto; smoky, fatty, deeply flavoured
• Shallots and garlic — fried until golden
• Dried chillies — for moderate heat

These are all fried together in oil until the seafood caramelises and the mixture becomes a coarse, deeply red-brown paste.

Uses

XO sauce is used as a condiment (a spoonful alongside noodles, dumplings, or rice), a stir-fry sauce (tossed through noodles, fried rice, or greens), or a flavour booster. A teaspoon transforms scrambled eggs; a tablespoon elevates fried noodles.

Commercial versions

Premium commercial versions (Lee Kum Kee, Lao Gan Ma’s high-end range) use genuine dried scallop; budget versions substitute cheaper seafood. Homemade XO is highly regarded and considerably cheaper per use.