We’ve been on the hunt for the best XO sauce for years and haven’t found one that quite hit the mark until we discovered this one, made in small batches in Brooklyn by Michelin-recognized chef Hannah Wong. Most varieties of the chili and dried seafood-based sauce are mass-produced—and you can tell, but Haema’s is crafted with care: Each ingredient—like dried shrimp, dried scallops and smoky bacon (departing from the traditional use of ham) is slowly fried individually to coax out the most flavor before being combined with a medley of aromatics and seasonings like rice wine and fish sauce. It’s then finished with a splash of fragrant Korean chili oil. The sauce is jammy, silky and decadent—punctuated by soft, toothsome bits. The delicate, lightly briny sweetness of shellfish hits your palate first, grounded by meaty umami and a pleasant quiver of chili heat.
The sauce is luxurious and bursting with umami, which makes perfect sense, as the term “XO” is shorthand in Hong Kong for high-quality.
We test everything we sell. Here’s how we’d use this.
Since this condiment is so complex and luxurious, we like to add it to simple dishes so the flavor can shine. At its simplest, spoon this XO sauce over steamed white rice for a side, or top with an egg to round it out into a simple meal. It’s also perfect for tossing with any kind of cooked noodles. Or substitute it in for typical hot sauce on the breakfast table—spoon on eggs with toast, or even smear into a sandwich stacked with ham, egg and cheese. We like to drizzle it on our Soupy Rice with Chicken, Bok Choy and Mushrooms (Pao Fan) in place of sesame or chili oil, or incorporate into our Sweet-and-Savory Skillet-Steamed Eggplant as a substitute for the oyster sauce to add a spicer kick.
Refrigerate after opening.
On purchases of $100+
Save up to 40% on items when you purchase 2 or more!
Set it and forget it with subscriptions to our favorite pantry items.
#changethewayyoucook 
