Common dipping sauces

I'm going to break the sauces down into two categories: must haves and must makes.

Must haves. There are some sauces that you should stock up on and keep in your pantry. These sauces are relatively cheap and can be found at most Asian markets or regular grocery stores.

• Hot Mustard Sauce
• Plum Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• XO Sauce
• Cornstarch

Must makes. There are some sauces that you might be able to find yourself but are very easy to make if you can't find them and you have the time to do a little prep work before heating up the wok.

• Brown SauceBrown Sauce
  
  1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
  3 teaspoons hoisin sauce
  1 teaspoon sherry
  1 teaspoon soy sauce
  1/2 teaspoon sugar
  1/2 cup beef broth or juices from cooked meat
  2 tablespoons water
  1 tablespoon cornstarch
  
  
  1. Combine all the ingredients, adding the cornstarch last. Bring to a boil.
  2. Cook on medium to medium-low heat, stirring constantly to thicken mixture. The sauce should be neither too thin nor too runny, but thick enough to use as a dip, if desired.
• Peanut SaucePeanut Sauce
  
  1/2 cup chicken broth
  1/2 cup peanut butter
  2 garlic cloves, minced
  2 tablespoons red onion, minced
  2 teaspoons brown sugar
  4 tablespoons soy sauce
  1/2 teaspoon chili sauce
  2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
  2 tablespoons water
  1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (optional)
  
  
  1. Combine all the ingredients except for the cilantro and puree in a food processor.
  2. Bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the cilantro. Use immediately.
• Sweet-and-Sour SauceSweet-and-Sour Sauce
  
  1/4 cup white rice vinegar
  2 tablespoons black rice vinegar
  1/2 cup brown sugar
  1/4 cup ketchup
  1/2 cup pineapple juice
  1/4 cup water
  2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
  
  
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the white rice vinegar, black rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, pineapple juice, and water to a boil.
  2. Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture, stirring vigorously to thicken.
• Hot Chili OilHot Chili Oil
  
  6 red chili peppers
  1 tablespoon sesame oil
  1 cup vegetable oil
  
  
  1. Cut the chili peppers in half and remove the seeds. Chop coarsely.
  2. Mix the oils and heat in a wok or heavy skillet.
  3. Add the chopped chili peppers and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the oil turns red.
  4. Cool the oil and strain into a sealed jar. Store in the refrigerator.
• Northern Noodle SauceNorthern Noodle Sauce
  
  1 small clove garlic, chopped
  1/2 green onion, mainly white part, thinly sliced
  1/4 cup dark soy sauce
  2 teaspoons black rice vinegar
  1 teaspoon Hot Chili Oil (see above)
  1/2 teaspoon sugar
  1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
  
  
  1. Combine garlic clove and green onion with the dark soy sauce, black rice vinegar, Hot Chili Oil, sugar, and sesame oil. Process in a blender or food processor until smooth.
  2. In a small saucepan, bring the sauce to a boil. Give the cornstarch-and-water mixture a quick stir. Add to the sauce, stirring vigorously to thicken. Cool and serve as s a dip or serve hot with noodles.
• Potsticker Dipping SaucePotsticker Dipping Sauce
  
  2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  1 teaspoon oyster sauce
  2 teaspoons black rice vinegar
  1 teaspoon sugar
  1 teaspoon Hot Chili Oil (see above)
  1 teaspoon cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  
  
  1. Combine all the ingredients.

Here is a fairly comprehensive list of sauces, including all of the ones above. If you would like a recipe for any of the ones I didn't do already, juts email me and request it - I'll add it to this page.

1. Hot Mustard Sauce
2. Plum Sauce
3. Brown Sauce
4. Peanut Sauce
5. Szechuan Salt and Pepper Sauce
6. Sweet and Sour Sauce
7. Hoisin Sauce
8. Hot Chili Oil
9. Soy and Hoisin, Soy and Ginger, Soy and Vinegar Sauce
10. Asian Vinaigrette
11. Northern Noodle Sauce
12. Potsticker Dipping Sauce
13. Black Bean Sauce

Tipsheet:

• Duck sauce? Just what is that?It's what plum sauce is commonly called. It got its name from the fact that it was served more often than not with Peking duck in Western Chinese restaurants. In reality, Peking duck is traditionally served with hoisin sauce.
• Worchester...worsheshire...whaaaa?What's funny about worcestershire sauce is that while it was invented by two British chemists in the 1800s, it's main ingredient is from Asia. The secret is tamarind, which is an acid-tasting fruit common to Thailand.
• Red Hot Chili PeppersWhen handling chili peppers, it's important to make sure that none of the chemical gets in your eyes. For extra safety, wear rubber gloves.
• Putting out the fireIf your mouth is on fire, forget about the water. The oil and water won't mix, so the water will roll right over the chili oils on your tongue. Rice, bread, milk or even beer will provide more immediate relief than a glass of water.
• Storage solutionsUnlike store-bought counterparts, homemade dips and sauces have a relatively short life span due to the lack of preservatives. Store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within a few days. The key is making small amounts so you don't waste more than you need.