Many people mistakenly believe oyster sauce is a type of oil, but like soy sauce, it's not an oil at all; it's a condiment. Oyster sauce is made by simmering dried oysters (oyster meat) to create a broth, which is then filtered and concentrated. It's a nutritious and flavorful condiment. The process of making oyster sauce is complex, with the most crucial step being boiling fresh oysters in water until they reach the desired consistency. This is also the most time-consuming step, as high-quality oyster sauce should retain the umami flavor of oysters. Oyster sauce typically contains MSG, and there is also a vegetarian version made with shiitake mushrooms.
Oysters, also known as mussels, are shellfish, resembling dried mussels. In Guangdong, they are called "hao," in Fujian, "li," in Zhejiang, "lihuang," and in northern China, "hailizi." Oyster meat is delicious and nutritious. They can be eaten fresh, dried to make dried oysters, or processed into canned goods, oyster sauce, oyster powder, etc. They are produced along the northern coast of my country and in Guangdong, through both aquaculture and natural growth. Oysters from the north are smaller, while those from Guangdong are larger. The production season is generally from December to around March of the following year.
