Variations on the gravy abound throughout China, from a darker soy used around Beijing to a white pepper and light-dark soy combination in the Cantonese South to Sichuan’s addition of chili and sesame oils. But in its most basic form, Yan says, “There’s broth, soy sauce, sugar, a touch of wine, and some sort of thickener.” He adds that said thickener can be corn, tapioca, or potato starch—whatever will help the sauce “lightly cling onto proteins and vegetables.”

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For Yan’s own recipe for an all-purpose Chinese brown sauce, he suggests stir-frying any meat, vegetable, or tofu, then adding it into the wok to finish. You can also use this over noodles or rice. Cardboard carton optional.

Martin Yan’s All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce

Makes one cup

½ cup canned chicken broth
¼ cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. light soy sauce
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground white pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tsp. water

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Combine the broth, wine, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, salt, and white pepper in a small bowl and mix well.

Place a wok or stir-fry pan over high heat. Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the seasoning from the bowl and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce boils and thickens, about one minute. Store in a covered container in the fridge; the sauce will keep for up to one week.

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Recipe courtesy of Martin Yan’s China.