Korean Barbecue-Style Sauce
Makes about 3 cups
Dates provide body and sweetness and Korean chile flakes bring their distinctive smoky, faintly sweet character to this great sauce that channels ssämjang, the condiment I can’t get enough of when eating Korean barbecue. Rib eyes (page 258) love it and so does any rich meat, fish, and even root vegetables.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons avocado oil
10 scallions, trimmed, greens thinly sliced, whites roughly chopped, separated
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped, plus 3 more, minced
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
1 cup coconut aminos
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon mushroom powder, homemade (page 326) or the Nom Nom Paleo brand
1 teaspoon kosher salt 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and roughly sliced against the grain
1 medium shallot, minced
MAKE THE SAUCE
Heat the avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmery. Add the scallion whites and chopped garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the dates and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more, to soften them a bit.
Add the coconut aminos, vinegar, honey, fish sauce, chile flakes, sesame oil, mushroom powder, salt, ginger, and 1 cup of water, raise the heat, and bring to a lively simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the dates fall apart to make a chunky, thick, and saucy mixture, about 8 minutes.
Let the mixture cool slightly, then puree it in a blender until very smooth and thick. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the shallot, scallion greens, and minced garlic and serve.
The sauce keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature.
