Oyster Sauce Explained: What It Is, How It's Made & How to Use It

8 mars 2026

Oyster sauce is one of those pantry bottles most people buy for one recipe and then use for everything else once they understand what it does. It started as a Chinese accidental discovery in the 1880s, became the backbone of Cantonese cooking, spread across Southeast Asia, and is now standard in Thai, Filipino, Malaysian, and Vietnamese kitchens as well. The version most people buy today bears only a passing resemblance to the original which is worth understanding before you reach for the cheapest bottle on the shelf.

This guide covers exactly what oyster sauce is, how the two very different versions (traditional and commercial) are made, what to look for on the label, which brands are worth buying, how to use it beyond stir-fry, and what to do when you don't have it.

What Is Oyster Sauce?

Oyster sauce is a thick, dark brown condiment made from oysters specifically from the liquid produced when oysters are boiled. It has a sweet-savory, deeply umami flavor with no detectable fishiness, and a viscous consistency similar to ketchup or slightly thicker. It's used primarily as a cooking sauce rather than a table condiment added to stir-fries, used as a glaze for vegetables and meats, and incorporated into marinades.

There are two fundamentally different versions sold under the same name:

Traditional Oyster Sauce

Made by boiling fresh oysters in water and reducing the broth — slowly — until it thickens and caramelizes to a dark, glossy sauce. No additives, no thickeners. The oysters provide all the flavor, color, and body. This is how the original product was made, and it produces an incomparably complex, naturally sweet sauce with genuine oyster flavor. Almost no commercial brand makes it this way today — the time and cost make it impractical at scale.

Commercial Oyster Sauce

Made from oyster extract (the liquid from boiled oysters, not reduced whole), combined with sugar, salt, cornstarch as a thickener, soy sauce for color and depth, MSG in most brands, and often caramel coloring for the dark appearance. The oyster extract percentage is often surprisingly low some budget brands contain as little as 0.4% oyster extract by volume. The flavor profile is sweet-umami-salty with minimal oyster character.

The accidental invention: According to Lee Kum Kee company history and this story is credible enough that no one disputes it, oyster sauce was invented in 1888 by Lee Kum Sheung, who ran a small food stall in the Guangdong province of southern China. He was cooking a pot of oyster soup and became distracted. When he returned, the water had reduced almost completely, leaving a thick, dark, intensely flavored paste at the bottom of the pot. He tasted it, recognized it as extraordinary, and began selling it. He founded Lee Kum Kee in 1888 to produce and distribute the sauce, the company is still the global market leader, now with operations in 100+ countries.

How Oyster Sauce Is Made

Traditional Method (Rarely Used Commercially Today)

Boiling fresh oysters: Fresh oysters are shucked and placed in large pots of water. They are boiled for an extended period — typically 30 minutes to an hour — until the oyster tissue breaks down and releases all its water-soluble flavor compounds, proteins, and natural sugars into the broth. The oyster meat is removed and the cooking liquid is retained.
Slow reduction and caramelization: The oyster broth is reduced over low heat for hours — sometimes days in traditional production. As the water evaporates, the natural sugars in the oyster liquid caramelize, producing the characteristic dark brown color without any added caramel coloring. The Maillard reaction between amino acids and sugars creates the deep, complex flavor. The sauce thickens naturally through concentration, with no starch needed. The final volume is a fraction of the original broth — this is why traditional oyster sauce is expensive and rare.
Bottling: The reduced, thick sauce is bottled with no additives. Pure traditional oyster sauce contains only oysters and the water they were boiled in — nothing else. The salt comes entirely from the oysters themselves.

Modern Commercial Method (What You Buy in Stores)

Extracting oyster liquid: Oysters are boiled in water, and the resulting liquid (oyster extract) is collected. Unlike traditional production, this liquid is not reduced — it's kept thin and used as a flavoring concentrate. The concentration of actual oyster extract in the final sauce is often very low: Lee Kum Kee's standard Premium Oyster Sauce contains oyster extract as a primary flavor source but alongside significant quantities of water, sugar, and cornstarch. Budget brands may contain as little as 0.4% oyster extract.
Combining with sweeteners, salt, and thickeners: The thin oyster extract is combined with: sugar or high-fructose corn syrup (the dominant ingredient by weight in many brands — some commercial oyster sauces are nearly 30% sugar), salt, modified cornstarch or wheat flour as thickeners, soy sauce for added color and umami, and in most brands, MSG to compensate for the low oyster extract content. The mixture is cooked briefly to activate the starch thickener and fully dissolve the sugars.
Coloring and bottling: Many commercial brands add caramel coloring to achieve the dark brown appearance traditionally created by natural reduction. Higher quality brands — Lee Kum Kee Premium, Maekura — derive their color naturally from the cooking process and higher oyster extract content. The sauce is pasteurized and bottled with a stated shelf life.

⚠️ The MSG question: Most oyster sauces on the market contain added MSG (labeled as "monosodium glutamate" or "flavour enhancer 621"). This is largely a compensation mechanism — lower oyster extract content means less natural glutamate, so it's added artificially. MSG-free varieties exist (Lee Kum Kee makes a MSG-free "Panda" line; Wan Ja Shan organic is MSG-free) and are worth seeking if this matters to you. The presence of MSG in a sauce is also an indirect signal that oyster extract content is lower than in premium MSG-free versions.

What Does Oyster Sauce Taste Like?

Oyster sauce has a flavor profile that's easier to experience than describe — a layered combination of sweet, salty, and savory with a background of umami depth. Despite the name, it does not taste of oysters or seafood in any direct way. The briny, oceanic quality of oysters disappears almost completely during the reduction process, leaving behind caramelized sweetness and concentrated umami.

The closest comparisons: imagine soy sauce with the edges softened, a noticeable caramel sweetness added, and the overall flavor mellowed and rounded. It's more complex than soy sauce but less sharp. Less salty and more sweet than fish sauce. Thicker and richer than either. In a cooked dish, it contributes a glossy, slightly sticky coating that carries flavor well and gives vegetables and proteins a restaurant-quality finish.

The texture matters as much as the flavor. Oyster sauce's viscosity means it clings to food rather than pooling at the bottom of the pan which is why it works so well as a stir-fry sauce and vegetable glaze, and less well as a direct salt substitute (for which you'd want fish sauce or soy sauce instead).

Oyster Sauce vs. Fish Sauce vs. Soy Sauce

These three sauces are often used together and frequently confused. They are not interchangeable, and understanding what each contributes is the foundation of cooking Southeast and East Asian food well.

Property	Oyster Sauce	Fish Sauce	Soy Sauce
Made from	Oyster extract, sugar, salt, cornstarch	Fermented anchovies + salt only	Fermented soybeans + wheat + salt
Consistency	Thick, viscous — like ketchup	Thin, watery, pourable	Thin, slightly syrupy
Flavor	Sweet-savory, rich umami, no fishiness	Intensely salty, deep umami, funky raw	Salty, savory, slightly bitter
Sweetness	High — sugar is a primary ingredient	None	Low — slight natural sweetness
Primary role	Sauce, glaze, coating	Salt replacement, seasoning	Seasoning, color, salt source
Used at table	Rarely — mostly for cooking	Yes — table condiment in Vietnam/Thailand	Yes — common table condiment
Typical sodium (per tbsp)	~490–600mg	~1,200–1,400mg	~900–1,000mg
Gluten	Usually contains wheat flour	Usually gluten-free	Contains wheat (except tamari)
Vegan	No (contains oysters)	No (contains fish)	Yes

💡 How professional cooks use all three together: In a classic Cantonese stir-fry or Thai dish, all three often appear in the same sauce: fish sauce provides the salt and base umami, oyster sauce provides sweetness and body, and soy sauce provides color depth and rounds out the seasoning. They're not competing — they're layering different flavor dimensions. Understanding this logic is what separates "decent" home Asian cooking from restaurant-level results.

Best Brands: Ranked & Reviewed

Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce

The original brand and still the benchmark. The Premium line (green label with an image of a woman on a boat) uses higher oyster extract content and better quality ingredients than their standard line. Available at virtually every Asian grocery store in Canada — T&T, H-Mart, many Loblaws and Walmart locations. Rich dark color, balanced sweet-umami flavor, good body. MSG-containing, but well-balanced.

Maekura Oyster Sauce

Thai brand — saltier and more assertive in oyster flavor than Lee Kum Kee. Recommended by chefs and food writers who cook Thai cuisine specifically, as the Thai style has a more pronounced sea flavor. Available at H-Mart and Southeast Asian grocery stores. Good choice if you find Lee Kum Kee too sweet.

Kikkoman Oyster Flavored Sauce

Japanese-produced, widely available at mainstream Canadian grocery stores (Loblaws, Sobeys). Cleaner flavor profile than Lee Kum Kee — less sweet, slightly more restrained. A good entry point if you're buying from a non-Asian grocery store. Higher price point but reliable quality.

Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce

Made from shiitake mushrooms instead of oysters. Delivers similar umami depth and sweet-savory profile through mushroom glutamates rather than oyster extract. Widely available at Asian grocery stores alongside the standard version. A genuinely good product — not just a compromise for non-oyster eaters, but worth trying in its own right.

Healthy Boy Brand

Thai origin, widely used in Thai home cooking and restaurants. Reliable quality, strong umami, slightly thinner consistency than Lee Kum Kee. Good for high-volume cooking. Available at T&T and Asian specialty stores.

Generic / Store Brand

Budget oyster sauces often contain extremely low oyster extract content (under 1%), heavy MSG loading, artificial caramel coloring, and a one-dimensional flavor that's mostly sweet and salty without the depth. Check the ingredient list — if oyster extract appears near the bottom after water, sugar, modified cornstarch, and MSG, put it back.

How to Read an Oyster Sauce Label

What to check	Good sign	Bad sign
Position of oyster extract in ingredient list	Oyster extract or oysters listed early — high content	Listed after water, sugar, starch, and MSG — very low actual oyster content
Thickener type	Modified cornstarch — neutral, gluten-free	Wheat flour — contains gluten
Coloring	No caramel coloring listed — color comes from natural reduction	Caramel color present — typical in commercial products, not harmful but signals lower quality production
MSG (flavour enhancer 621)	Absent — suggests higher oyster extract provides natural glutamate	Present — very common, not harmful, but signals lower oyster extract content
Sugar content	Under 15g per 100ml — moderate sweetness	28g+ per 100ml — very sweet, mostly a sweet sauce with oyster flavoring
Sodium per serving	490–600mg per tablespoon — typical range	700mg+ per tablespoon — very high sodium, likely heavily salted to compensate for low extract

How to Cook With Oyster Sauce: 10 Classic Uses

Chinese broccoli (gai lan) glaze

The definitive oyster sauce application. Blanch gai lan, drain, plate, then drizzle with oyster sauce thinned slightly with hot water. The sauce clings to the stems and leaves — sweet-savory, glossy, and deeply satisfying. This single dish is how most of Asia was introduced to oyster sauce. Works equally well with bok choy, yu choy, and broccolini.

Cantonese stir-fry base

Combine oyster sauce with soy sauce, sesame oil, and a small amount of cornstarch dissolved in water. This is the classic Cantonese stir-fry sauce that coats vegetables and proteins in a glossy, savory finish. The cornstarch slurry helps the sauce cling to every ingredient. Add during the last 60–90 seconds of cooking — not earlier, or it burns.

Lo mein & chow mein sauce

Oyster sauce is the backbone of lo mein seasoning — combined with soy sauce and sesame oil. The thick consistency coats noodles evenly. Add at the end of cooking after the noodles are in the pan, toss quickly over high heat for 30 seconds. This is the flavor profile that makes lo mein taste like a restaurant dish at home.

Beef & broccoli

One of the most popular Chinese-American dishes uses oyster sauce as the primary sauce component. Sliced beef, blanched broccoli, oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a cornstarch-thickened sauce. The oyster sauce provides the sweetness and body that differentiates this from a plain soy sauce stir-fry.

Chicken and rice (Hainanese style)

Oyster sauce is one of three dipping sauces traditionally served with Hainanese chicken rice — alongside ginger-scallion sauce and chili sauce. Serve it straight from the bottle, slightly warmed, in a small dish. The sauce's sweetness complements the poached chicken's neutral flavor.

Marinade for grilled meats

Oyster sauce makes an exceptional marinade base for chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, and beef ribs. Combine with garlic, ginger, a splash of rice wine, and sesame oil. The natural sugars caramelize on the grill to create a lacquered, slightly charred coating. Marinate overnight for best results — the enzymes in the oyster extract also tenderize the meat.

Thai stir-fries (pad see ew)

Pad See Ew — wide rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese broccoli, egg, and protein — uses oyster sauce as one of its three primary seasonings alongside soy sauce and fish sauce. The oyster sauce provides the sweetness and coating quality.

Dim sum dipping sauce

Dilute oyster sauce 1:1 with warm water, add a small amount of sesame oil and chili oil. This makes a quick dipping sauce for steamed dumplings (har gow, siu mai), spring rolls, and turnip cake. The thinned-down version is less overwhelming than full-strength oyster sauce straight from the bottle.

Congee and rice porridge seasoning

A teaspoon of oyster sauce stirred into congee adds a layer of sweet-savory depth that plain soy sauce doesn't provide. Particularly effective in seafood congee (crab, shrimp, or clam) where the oyster flavor complements rather than clashes with the other seafood elements.

Mushroom stir-fry

Oyster sauce is the best sauce for mushrooms. The glutamates in both the sauce and the mushrooms amplify each other — the resulting dish is more umami-intense than either ingredient alone. Shiitake, oyster mushrooms, and king oyster mushrooms all work exceptionally. Add garlic, ginger, a tablespoon of oyster sauce, and toss over high heat for 3–4 minutes.

📌 One technique mistake that ruins oyster sauce dishes: Adding oyster sauce too early in the cooking process. Because it contains significant sugar, oyster sauce burns at high heat if left in the pan too long. It should be added in the final 60–90 seconds of cooking — after the main ingredients are mostly cooked through. Adding it to a cold pan or early in a slow braise causes it to caramelize into a sticky, slightly bitter paste. Heat + time = burnt sugar. Always add late.

How to Make Oyster Sauce From Scratch

Making a simplified version at home is achievable in under an hour and produces a cleaner-tasting sauce than most commercial products. It's not a perfect replica of true slow-reduced traditional oyster sauce, but it's considerably better than budget-brand alternatives and has no MSG, no additives, and a genuinely higher oyster content.

Homemade Oyster Sauce

Makes: ~1 cupTime: 45–50 minutesStores: 1 month refrigeratedDifficulty: Easy–Moderate

Ingredients:

500g (20oz) fresh or frozen oysters (shucked, with liquid)
500ml cold water
1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce (for color and depth)
1.5 tbsp regular soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar (white or palm sugar)
½ tsp salt (taste first — oysters vary in salinity)
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water (slurry)

Rinse and simmer the oysters

Rinse oysters gently under cold water 2–3 times to remove grit, being careful not to break them. Place in a pot with 500ml cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam. The water will turn a rich, cloudy broth as the oyster flavor extracts into the liquid.

Strain and discard solids

Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the oyster solids (or eat them — they're fully cooked and still tasty). You should have approximately 300–350ml of rich oyster broth. If you have more, return to the pot and reduce further for 5–10 minutes before proceeding.

Season and reduce

Return the strained broth to the pot over medium heat. Add both soy sauces, sugar, and salt. Stir to dissolve. Taste the broth — it should be pleasantly savory, slightly sweet, and more concentrated than finished oyster sauce (it will mellow when thickened). Simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors.

Thicken with cornstarch slurry

With the broth at a steady simmer, pour in the cornstarch slurry slowly while stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken within 60 seconds. Stop adding slurry when you reach the consistency of ketchup or slightly thinner — it will continue to thicken as it cools. If it over-thickens, thin with a small amount of warm water.

Cool and store

Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a clean glass jar. The sauce will thicken further when cold, this is expected. Bring to room temperature or warm briefly before using. Stores refrigerated for up to 1 month. Always use a clean spoon no double dipping to prevent contamination that would shorten shelf life.

💡 Quality difference: Homemade oyster sauce has a noticeably more "alive," oceanic flavor than commercial versions and no chemical aftertaste. It's lighter in color (no caramel coloring) and slightly thinner. The flavor is genuinely worth the 45-minute effort if you use oyster sauce regularly. The homemade version is also MSG-free, preservative-free, and lower in sodium than most commercial alternatives.

Every Substitute That Actually Works

Oyster sauce has a specific combination of sweetness, thickness, and umami depth that makes it genuinely difficult to replace with a single ingredient. Every substitute involves a trade-off. Here is an honest assessment, ordered from closest to furthest from the original:

Substitute	Ratio	Flavor match	Notes
Hoisin sauce	1:1	Best overall substitute. Similar thick consistency, similar sweet-savory umami profile. Made from fermented soybeans.	Sweeter and more garlic-forward than oyster sauce. May need slight salt adjustment. Best for stir-fries, glazes, marinades. Vegan.
Soy sauce + sugar	1 tbsp soy + ½ tsp sugar per tbsp oyster sauce	Captures the salty-sweet balance but lacks thickness and depth. Add a cornstarch slurry to thicken for cooking applications.	Most accessible substitute. Works in a pinch for any application.
Soy sauce + hoisin	1:1 blend, equal parts	Excellent — the hoisin adds sweetness and body, the soy sauce adjusts the saltiness. Best homemade substitute from pantry ingredients.	Mix before using. Good for stir-fries and noodles. Vegan.
Mushroom oyster sauce (store-bought vegan version)	1:1	Designed as a direct replacement. Excellent umami depth from shiitake extract. Best for vegetarian and vegan cooking.	Available at H-Mart, T&T, and Asian grocery stores. Lee Kum Kee and other brands make this.
Teriyaki sauce	1:1	Similar sweet-savory balance and thick consistency. Works well in stir-fries and as a glaze. Distinctly Japanese flavor profile.	Sweeter and more obviously soy-forward. Works best in dishes where the Japanese flavor doesn't clash with other ingredients.
Worcestershire + soy + sugar	½ tbsp Worcestershire + ½ tbsp soy + ¼ tsp sugar	Worcestershire contains anchovies — provides some of the depth oyster sauce has. Needs thickener (cornstarch) to match viscosity.	Better for Western-context dishes (pasta, marinades) than for Asian stir-fries. Not vegan.
Fish sauce	Use ½ the amount; add sugar separately	Shares the umami depth but completely different consistency, no sweetness, and far more pungent. Add ½ tsp sugar per ½ tbsp fish sauce to compensate.	Works in Thai dishes where fish sauce already belongs. Not ideal as a direct substitute for Chinese-context recipes. Not vegan.
Miso paste + water + soy	1 tbsp miso + 1 tbsp water + 1 tsp soy + ½ tsp sugar	Miso provides fermented umami depth. Good vegan option. Needs thinning and balancing. Milder than oyster sauce.	Best for dishes with Japanese flavors already present. Adds slight grainy texture unless well-dissolved.
Mushroom broth + cornstarch	3 tbsp broth + 1 tsp cornstarch + ½ tsp soy + pinch sugar	Natural glutamates from dried shiitake provide umami. Very low sodium, vegan. Lacks depth of fermentation.	Good for people managing sodium intake or avoiding processed condiments.

How to Store Oyster Sauce & How Long It Lasts

Condition	Duration	Notes
Unopened, pantry	2 years from production date	Check the best-by date on the bottom of the bottle. Store in a cool, dark cupboard away from heat sources.
Opened, refrigerator	Up to 12 months	Always refrigerate after opening. Keep cap tightly sealed. The sauce may thicken in the fridge — this is normal, just stir or bring to room temperature.
Opened, room temperature	2–3 months maximum	Not recommended. Oyster sauce contains enough water and protein to support mold growth at room temperature. Refrigerate after opening.
Homemade oyster sauce	Up to 1 month, refrigerated	No preservatives — much shorter shelf life than commercial. Always use a clean spoon. Signs of spoilage: mold, off smell, color change.
Signs of spoilage	Discard if present	Visible mold (appears as white or green spots), significantly changed smell (sour, rotten), or crystallized sauce with unusual color. A small amount of liquid separation at the top is normal — stir before use.

📌 Common mistake: Many home cooks store oyster sauce in the pantry after opening because it "feels like a shelf-stable sauce." It isn't — unlike fish sauce (which is shelf-stable due to high salt content), oyster sauce's sugar content and lower overall salinity make it susceptible to mold. Always refrigerate after opening and check the date before using from a bottle that's been open for months.

Frequently Asked Questions: Oyster Sauce

What is oyster sauce made of?

Commercial oyster sauce is made from oyster extract (the liquid from boiled oysters), water, sugar, salt, a starch thickener (usually modified cornstarch or wheat flour), soy sauce for color, and in most brands, MSG. True traditional oyster sauce contains only oysters and water — reduced to a thick sauce by slow cooking. Most people have only ever tasted the commercial version.

Does oyster sauce taste like oysters or fish?

No. Despite the name, oyster sauce has a sweet-savory umami flavor with no perceptible fishiness or seafood taste. The oceanic quality of raw oysters disappears almost completely during the reduction process. Most people who have never tried oyster sauce are surprised by how neutral and rounded the flavor actually is — closer to a sweet soy sauce than anything seafood-forward.

Is oyster sauce gluten-free?

Most commercial oyster sauces are not gluten-free — they use wheat flour as a thickener. People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should look for certified gluten-free varieties. Wok Mei brand makes a gluten-free oyster sauce using cornstarch instead of wheat flour, and some specialty brands are also gluten-free. Always check the label, as formulations vary by product and region.

Is oyster sauce vegan or vegetarian?

No — standard oyster sauce contains oyster extract and is not vegan or vegetarian. However, mushroom-based "vegetarian oyster sauce" is widely available at Asian grocery stores (Lee Kum Kee, for example, makes a popular mushroom stir-fry sauce that directly replaces oyster sauce in recipes). These mushroom versions deliver similar umami depth through shiitake extract and are genuinely comparable in flavor.

What's the difference between Lee Kum Kee Panda and Premium oyster sauce?

Lee Kum Kee makes several lines at different price points. The Premium line (green label with the boat image) has a higher oyster extract content, no MSG, and a more complex, richer flavor. The Panda line (panda bear label) is MSG-free but uses lower oyster extract content — it's formulated for the health-conscious market. The standard/economy line uses the most additives and lowest oyster content. For cooking, Premium or Panda are worth the modest price difference over the economy line.

Can I substitute oyster sauce for fish sauce?

In most cases, not directly — they do fundamentally different things. Oyster sauce is thick, sweet, and mild; fish sauce is thin, intensely salty, and pungent. Using oyster sauce where fish sauce is called for will make a dish too sweet and too thick. The reverse — using fish sauce where oyster sauce is called for — will make it too thin, too salty, and lose the sweet body the recipe depends on. They can complement each other in the same dish, but they're not one-to-one substitutes.

How much oyster sauce should I use per serving?

For a stir-fry serving 2 people, 1–2 tablespoons of oyster sauce is typical — added in the final 60–90 seconds of cooking. For a glaze over blanched vegetables (like gai lan), 1–2 tablespoons drizzled over one bunch of vegetables is the standard amount. For marinades, 2–3 tablespoons per 500g of protein. Oyster sauce is assertive in flavor — start with less and add more. You can always add; you cannot take away.

Where can I buy oyster sauce in Canada?

Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce is available at most major Canadian grocery chains — Loblaws, Walmart, Sobeys, and Metro all carry at least the standard line. T&T Supermarket and H-Mart carry the full Lee Kum Kee range plus Thai brands like Maekura and Healthy Boy. Asian specialty grocery stores will carry the widest selection including the mushroom vegetarian version. Premium oyster sauce is also available on Amazon Canada if no local stores carry what you need.

Conclusion

Oyster sauce is a sweet-savory glaze ingredient, not a salt substitute and not a table condiment — understanding that single distinction explains almost every mistake people make when cooking with it. It belongs added late, over high heat, in dishes that benefit from a glossy, clingy sauce coating.

The label matters more here than with most condiments. Sugar is the primary ingredient by weight in many budget brands, with oyster extract content that's often embarrassingly low. Lee Kum Kee Premium, Maekura, or a similar brand with oyster extract clearly present in the ingredient list is worth the extra dollar or two for a bottle that lasts months in the fridge.

And if you need a substitute in a hurry: soy sauce plus hoisin in equal parts gets you most of the way there, with a cornstarch slurry if you need the thickness. That combination won't fool anyone who knows what the real thing tastes like, but it'll make the dish work.

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