Best enjoyed shaken & stirred

Sonal Ved lets you in on the saucy secrets of five sauces that have travelled the world to land on your desi plates

Tartar sauce
Cuisine of origin: French
Caught somewhere between the worlds of English and French cuisines, tartar or tartare sauce, both looks and tastes like a more coarse version of mayonnaise. Boiled eggs, pickled onions, gherkins and chives added to mayonnaise make tartar sauce.
What it tastes like: Tartar sauce has a velvety texture, thanks to its mayo-base. The pickled onions lend a slightly sour bite to the sauce, courtesy the vinegar.
Goes best with: Fish, seafood



Sauce source
You can buy these sauces from:
Gourmet West: Army & Navy building, ground floor, 148, MG Road, Kala Ghoda.
Call: 66360500/66360500
HyperCity: Ground level, Link road, next to Inorbit Mall, Malad (W).
Call: 40078420
Godrej Nature's Basket: 8, Tirupati apartment, opposite Mahalaxmi Temple, Warden Road, Mahalaxmi.
Call: 23526775

Hoisin sauce
Cuisine of origin: Chinese
Hoisin is the Chinese word for seafood. Thanks to the addition of familiar 'Indian' ingredients like jaggery and garlic, hoisin is seasoned with familiarity. The base of the soya bean paste gives it a heady fermented aroma that lingers on the palate as well.
What it tastes like: One of the rare sauces that can be enjoyed on its own. Hoisin has a glossy, viscous texture and a sweet-sour taste. You might have to keep mints handy, though, as too much of this sauce can give you garlic breath.u00a0

Oyster sauce
Cuisine of origin: Chinese
True to its name, oyster sauce is made of oysters. The dark brown sauce has a fermented aroma and thick texture. Restaurants with vegetarian and vegan requests make the sauce using shiitake or oyster mushrooms.
What it tastes like: The salty oyster sauce cannot be had on its own due to its raw flavour. When added to vegetables or meats, it delivers a smoky taste.
Goes best with: Vegetable stir-fries, chicken and fish preparations
Goes best with: Vegetable stir-fries, duck, fish and chicken dishes

Worcestershire sauce
Cuisine of origin: English
A product of experimental cooking, the Worcestershire sauce was invented by chemists John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins. The thin sauce owes its distinctive flavour to anchovies (a type of salt water fish) and tamarind. It is the mainstay in classic pies, casserole dishes, and is sometimes used to temper cocktails.
What it tastes like: Though the sauce smells pre-dominantly of chilli, it is mildly spicy. The anchovies give the sauce a briny taste.
Goes best with: Chicken dishes and macaroni

Tahina sauce
Cuisine of origin: Middle Eastern
Not all sauces are spicy and can sometimes be bland like Tahina. Sesame seeds (tahini), herbs and lemon juice are the star ingredients of this sauce. Tahina works well as a dip and in salads. The texture of the sauce is greasy, because of the oil released from the sesame seeds.
What it tastes like: Tahina is a mild sauce with an over-powering sesame flavour. It leaves an oily coat on the tongue minutes after your have savoured the last bite.
Goes best with: Fresh vegetable crudites, falafel and Fattoush salad

(With inputs from Chef Paul Kinny, Executive Chef, InterContinental Marine Drive)
theguide@mid-day.com