Bonnie Yau's Oriental Sauces - A Review

The Chinese New Year for 2014 falls on 31st January. And it is the Year of the Horse this year. In the past we have been to Central Lo...

The Chinese New Year for 2014 falls on 31st January. And it is the Year of the Horse this year. In the past we have been to Central London for the Chinese New Year festivities. There is a parade and live performances. The impressive Lion teams circulate throughout Chinatown and there are lots of local artists and food and craft stalls. We always have a fun time visiting the parade. After watching the parade and performances we usually head to the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown to sample some lovely cuisine. This year in the run-up to the Chinese New Year, I have been having a go at some Chinese recipes in my kitchen. And helping me in my endeavour are Yau's Oriental Sauces - a range of Chinese cooking sauces from Vietnamese-born chef Bonnie Yau.

The product range includes
- Zingy Zum Dipping Sauce
- Aromatic Cantonese Sauce
- Flaming Szechuan Sauce
- Fragrant Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Intense Black Bean Sauce
- Firecracker Kung Po Sauce

For me Chinese food has always been synonymous with MSG because majority of the Chinese eateries use MSG in most of their dishes. MSG is one ingredient I would like to totally avoid. Bonnie Yau sauces contain no MSG and no artificial flavours/colours. The sauce range has been created keeping good health in mind. Their sauces are low in fat, do not contain gluten and are yet packed with flavour.

As you can see from the product range above, they have covered all the usual Chinese takeaway favourites. We were sent all the variants to sample and we tried out all of the above except the Zingy Zum Dipping Sauce as that one contains Fish sauce(Anchovies). The Zingy Zum was handed over to a colleague to sample.

Szechuan has been a favourite of mine for as long as I remember. And this sauce from Bonnie Yau was undoubtedly my favourite of all that I tried. I used it in a stir-fry served alongside some fried rice and it gave me the kind of spiciness I love and desire. We enjoy our meals spicy at home and this one was a winner. It was not an overkill, but the fierceness and taste was perfect. I see myself using this one regularly. The Fragrant Sweet and Sour Sauce is very versatile. I have used it as a cooking sauce in stir-fry and also as a dip for chips, vegetable rolls, quorn sausages and more. It has worked well in all scenarios. If you love mild and fresh sauces, then this one is for you. The flavours are perfectly balanced and will suit all taste palates.

If like me you love spice, then there is another fiery sauce in the product range - the Kung Po Sauce. With an ingredients list that includes Red Chilli, Pepper, Chilli, Ginger and Garlic, this one is a sauce with a fiery attitude. I feel that with the right sauce, you can achieve the perfect flavour for your recipes and Kung Po is perfect if you are looking for something that is hot and also imparts a lot of flavour. This one was my second favourite.

The Cantonese Sauce with its blend of onions and tamarind has a savoury and mildly sweet flavour. This one works best as a cooking sauce according to me. I was reminded of South Indian cuisine which also makes use of tamarind extensively. The Black Bean Sauce from Bonnie Yau is a much healthier version of the takeaway variety. With less salt and no added oil, this one delivers a nice depth of flavour. Works well in stir-fry.

Overall, the Bonnie Yau range of sauces are good and they have been developed mainly with the European market in mind. All variants are low in fat and free from anything artificial, including MSG. So, ditch the takeaway and cook up some tasty Chinese food in your kitchen with the Bonnie Yau range of sauces. You can purchase the sauces from many local retailers. Find one near you www.bonnieyau.co.uk


*PR sample