Trying to learn something about Asian seafood seasoning

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nopeda

Assistant Cook
Joined
Mar 29, 2017
Messages
2
Location
Buford
Hi cooking people,

I've been to several Chinese/Asian(?) buffets over the years and especially like the "seafood delight" that they offer. They are certainly not all the same... the first one I enjoyed had fake crab, shrimp, mushrooms, water chestnuts, broccoli, and whatever else. Others have had the same or fewer items, the least of which had only the fake crab and shrimp. But they all seem to have had a similar seasoning flavor. Do any of you know what I'm referring to, and if so if it's possible to purchase at a supermarket like Walmart or Publix, or a specialty place, and what specifically to buy to get that flavor at home? I'm trying to get that flavor to make something with fake crab and mushrooms with a sauce to put over rice. Something not too high in fat, or sodium either if possible.

Thank you for any help or suggestions!

David
Atlanta, GA USA
 
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Lobster sauce has ground pork in it and is popular at Chinese American places here but may not be the sauce in anything called "delights"
 
Hi cooking people,

I've been to several Chinese/Asian(?) buffets over the years and especially like the "seafood delight" that they offer. They are certainly not all the same... the first one I enjoyed had fake crab, shrimp, mushrooms, water chestnuts, broccoli, and whatever else. Others have had the same or fewer items, the least of which had only the fake crab and shrimp. But they all seem to have had a similar seasoning flavor. Do any of you know what I'm referring to, and if so if it's possible to purchase at a supermarket like Walmart or Publix, or a specialty place, and what specifically to buy to get that flavor at home? I'm trying to get that flavor to make something with fake crab and mushrooms with a sauce to put over rice. Something not too high in fat, or sodium either if possible.

Thank you for any help or suggestions!

David
Atlanta, GA USA

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lee-Kum-...5035&wl11=online&wl12=885147743&wl13=&veh=sem
 
My husband likes things in the 'lobster sauce'.
It has always amused me because Chinese lobster sauce is called that because of its typical Chinese application in being used to sauce lobster recipes. :)

That's not to say you can't use it in any recipe where you like the end result.
 
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If you just want a sauce, here's one of my favorites, but be careful because it is rather spicy!

Szechwan Chinese Cooking Sauce

Ingredients:

10 dried red chile pods
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tbs hot chili oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 green chile, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp black Chinese vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 pinch MSG (optional)
1 Tbs cornstarch

Instructions:

Boil the whole garlic cloves and the red chili pods in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain the water and set it aside. Grind the chili pods and garlic to a paste. Heat the hot chili oil in a wok. Add the ginger, chopped garlic, chopped green chiles and sesame seeds and stir-fry to infuse the oil. Add the celery and onion and stir-fry until the onion is translucent, but not browned.

Add the chili pod and garlic paste and continue to stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar and stir. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water drained from the boiled garlic and chili pods and add it to the wok. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer until it reaches the desired thickness.
 
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If you want a meal, try this:

Kung Pao Mahi-Mahi*​

Ingredients:

2 Tbs peanut oil
4 dried red chiles, cracked
1 Tbs garlic, minced
½ Tbs grated ginger
1 tsp pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut in strips
1½ lb mahi-mahi fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbs cornstarch, dissolved in 4 Tbs water
2 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced
½ cup macadamia nuts, for garnish
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, for garnish

Marinade

1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs rice Wine
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp salt

Sauce

2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs Lemon Extract
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 cup vegetable broth

Instructions:

Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, cooking wine extract, egg and salt and pour it into a large zipper bag. Add the mahi-mahi to the bag, squeeze out all the air, and zip the bag closed. Marinate the mahi-mahi for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lemon zest oil extract, rice wine vinegar, sugar and broth.

Remove the mahi-mahi from the marinade, pat it dry with paper towels and discard the marinade. Set up your mise-en-place with the peanut oil, the marinated mahi-mahi, chiles, garlic, ginger, pepper, bell pepper, and the corn starch slurry, in that order.

Heat the peanut oil to smoking in a wok over high heat and swirl to coat the sides. Add the mahi-mahi pieces to the wok and gently stir fry them until they are cooked through. Remove the mahi-mahi from the wok and set it aside. Add the chilies to the wok and quickly stir-fry them until they begin to darken. Add the garlic, ginger and pepper and continue to stir-fry them to infuse the oil. Add the bell pepper to the wok and stir-fry it until softened. Pour in the sauce and bring it to a boil, then add the cornstarch slurry and stir it until thickened. Reduce the heat to low, add the mahi-mahi and the scallion and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes. Place the Kung Pao mahi-mahi in a serving bowl and garnish with the macadamia nuts and coconut.

* You may substitute any firm white fleshed fish for the mahi-mahi
 
It has always amused me because Chinese lobster sauce is called that because of its typical Chinese application in being used to sauce lobster recipes. :)

That's not to say you can't use it in any recipe where you like the end result.
Thanks to all of you for your help and suggestions! I went to Publix and tried to find lobster sauce in the spices area, but couldn't find any. Then went back and asked the seafood guy but he didn't know anything about it, and it wasn't with any of the seafood seasonings in the seafood section either. I guess I'll Google it...

Thanks again!!!
David
 
I don't think most grocers sell lobster sauce packets. The above ideas are good starts, play around with them. Another thought would be to ask your restaurant how they make their seafood medley sauce. I always brazenly ask restaurants how they make something I love. Doesn't hurt to ask.

I remember my family going to a great Chinese restaurant in Canada, and my brother who was around 10 at the time being so excited that he could get lobster sauce. He was so disappointed that there was no actual lobster in it.
 
The sauce that "seafood delight" is made with is not lobster sauce.

Otherwise it would be called seafood with lobster sauce.

That's because lobster sauce is a very specific type of American Chinese sauce. It has ground pork mixed into it. Its not a spice or anything you can buy in a store.

Other specific sauces you'll see in a Chinese restaurant are things like black bean sauce, garlic sauce, XO sauce and others. Dishes using these will specifically name the sauce, like "chicken in black bean sauce"

American Chinese Dishes without a specific sauce are usually made with either a generic brown or a generic white sauce

"Seafood Delight" is a common item on Americanized Chinese menus and the sauce is usually common Chinese white sauce made up from corn starch, chicken broth, soy sauce and potentially garlic, ginger and MSG.

Its not something you can buy premade. If you want to replicate or get close to what you are eating in Buford, you'll have to make it, but its not hard.

If you want a different Chinese food flavor using a premade sauce, look in the Asian aisle in your grocery store. Lee Kim Kee brand sauces are usually sold there.
 
Lobster sauce wouldn't be in the spices section, it would most likely be in the condiments section on the Asian aisle, along with the the oyster sauce and hoisin sauce.
 
... as well as "Stir Fry Sauce"
All of the Walmarts that I've been in here in the West,
have an Asian Aisle full of all sorts of different premade
sauces, either in bottles, jars or foil packets, but come to
think of it, not Lobster Sauce.
As Jenny mentioned, play around with it, make your own sauce.
The only Asian style premades that I buy is Hoisin and Oyster Sauces.
friedrice.jpg
 
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