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Cantonese · Hong Kong

XO sauce

Non-vegetarian

XO醬 · XO jiàng

A luxurious Hong Kong chilli condiment of dried scallops, dried shrimp and cured ham slowly fried in oil with shallots, garlic and chilli until deep golden and intensely savoury.

XO sauce is a Cantonese condiment from Hong Kong, ready in about 3 hours 25 minutes and made with dried scallops (conpoy), dried shrimp and prosciutto / dry-cured ham. It serves 25 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
30 min
Cook
55 min
Rest
2 h
Total
3 h 25 min
Serves
25
Level
Intermediate
Calories
130

Includes 2 hours soaking the dried scallops.

Ingredients

25 servings (about 20 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse and soak the dried scallops (opens in a new tab) in 120 ml warm water for 2 hours until they can be pulled apart; soak the dried shrimp (opens in a new tab) separately for 30 minutes. Steam the scallops in their liquid for 20 minutes for extra tenderness if they are large.

  2. Step 2

    Drain the scallops, keeping the liquid, and shred them into fine threads with your fingers. Finely chop the shrimp. Mince the ham, shallots (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and fresh chillies very finely and keep them in separate piles.

    An onion being chopped on a board
    How it looks · Photo: Christina & Peter on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil in a wok (opens in a new tab) over medium heat. Add the shallots (opens in a new tab) and fry, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until pale golden; add the garlic (opens in a new tab) and fry 3–4 minutes more until both are light gold. Keep the heat moderate, because they burn quickly at the end.

    Food safety: A wok with this much oil is dangerous if knocked; keep the handle turned in and never leave it unattended.

    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Lower to medium-low. Add the ham, shrimp and scallop threads and fry gently, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until everything is deep golden and crisp at the edges and the oil smells of the sea.

  5. Step 5

    Add the fresh chillies and chilli flakes (opens in a new tab) and fry 2 minutes, then add the oyster sauce (opens in a new tab), Shaoxing wine (opens in a new tab), sugar (opens in a new tab) and the scallop soaking liquid. Simmer on low, stirring, for 10–15 minutes until all the water has cooked off, the bubbling becomes a fine sizzle and the oil turns clear and red.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  6. Step 6

    Cool completely, then spoon into clean jars and press down so the solids are covered by a layer of oil.

About this dish

Origin
Hong Kong · Commonly attributedCreated in Hong Kong in the 1980s; the Peninsula Hotel's Spring Moon restaurant is usually credited. 'XO' borrows the prestige of extra-old cognac, which it does not contain. Recipes vary by chef; this follows widely published home versions.Also popular in China, Singapore, MalaysiaMore food from Hong Kong
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes · Sauces
Cooking method
Shallow-fried, Simmered
Taste
umami, savoury, spicy (chilli heat), garlicky, sweet
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Dried shrimp · Prosciutto / dry-cured ham · Shallot · Garlic · Fresh red chilli · Red chilli flakes
Techniques
Shallow-frying · Simmering · Knife skills

Allergens

  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom dried shrimp, oyster sauce
  • Contains: Molluscsfrom dried scallops (conpoy), oyster sauce
  • Contains: Wheatfrom oyster sauce, shaoxing wine
  • Contains: Glutenfrom oyster sauce, shaoxing wine
  • May contain: Soyfrom oyster sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

130 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 21 g · recipe makes 25

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 11%
  • Carbohydrate 9%
  • Fat 80%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy130 kcal624 kcal
Protein3.6 g17.2 g
Carbohydrate2.8 g13.4 g
Net carbohydrate2.4 g11.8 g
Sugars1.1 g5.4 g
Added sugars——
Fibre0.3 g1.6 g
Fat11.7 g56.2 g
Saturated fat1 g4.9 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol8 mg39 mg
Sodium381 mg1830 mg
Salt equivalent1 g4.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
112 mg
Calcium
15 mg
Iron
0.3 mg
Magnesium
9 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
11 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
0.5 µg
Folate (DFE)
4 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Dried scallops (conpoy): Dried salted cod (FDC 174190) used as a stand-in, as for dried shrimp: both are dried, very protein-dense seafood; no dried-scallop entry exists in FDC SR Legacy.
  • Dried shrimp: Dried salted cod (FDC 174190) used as a stand-in: both are dried, very protein-dense seafood; no dried-shrimp entry exists in FDC SR Legacy.
  • Prosciutto / dry-cured ham: Cured ham, lean and fat, unheated (FDC 167875) used as a stand-in for air-dried prosciutto/jamón; real dry-cured ham is drier and saltier.
  • Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
  • Shaoxing wine: Sake (FDC 167723) used as a stand-in for Chinese rice cooking wine.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Cook off every bit of water. Moisture left in the oil shortens its life and can let it spoil.
  • Buy whole, golden dried scallops; broken 'shreds' are cheaper and fine for sauce.

Common mistakes

  • Frying everything on high heat, which burns the garlic and makes the whole batch bitter.
  • Mincing too coarsely. The texture should be fine and crumbly.

Serve with

  • Stir-fry with rice noodles, fried rice or turnip cake (lo bak go).
  • Toss through gai lan or green beans at the end of stir-frying.
  • Spoon on steamed fish, scallops or dumplings.

Food safety

  • Raw garlic, shallots or herbs kept under oil can support botulism at room temperature. Keep the jar refrigerated, use a clean dry spoon, and keep within the stated time.
  • Contains shellfish (scallops, shrimp) and oyster sauce.

Storage

  • Refrigerate, solids covered with oil, for up to 1 month; use a clean, dry spoon.

Variations

  • Vegetarian 'XO': Dried shiitake, fermented black beans and shallots fried the same way; a modern adaptation.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 4, 5

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