WO Sauce

XO Sauce was invented in the 1980s in Hong Kong and is made from dried scallops, dried shrimp, Jinhua ham, chilli, shallots and garlic. Dried seafood and Jinhua ham are considered extremely luxurious and extravagant ingredients in Chinese cooking. The name alludes to the lofty and expensive status associated with XO cognac at the time. Dried scallops are not available in the UK now.

We decided to rework this classic condiment to make it our own, using salted shrimp instead and replacing Jinhua ham with our own Poon’s Wind Dried Bacon which we have been producing since 1970 to an old family recipe.

We called it WO sauce because W is almost X - a bit corny but so am I. It has affectionately become known as “Woooooh Sauce” in the kitchen and with the chefs who have used it. I love it on buttered bagels, fried eggs, fried rice, plain rice, noodles, pizza and sausage rolls...

Spooned over fried eggs on a bowl of steamed jasmine rice with a sprinkling of chopped spring onions and a dash of soy sauce, it has the ability to transform these simple ingredients into an instantly recognisable Chinese staple.

Dollop on: Noodles, rice, dumplings, dim sum, fried eggs, pizza, cream cheese bagels, cheese toasties, sausage rolls.

Stir into: pasta, sauces, stir-fries, stews, ragus, fried rice.