How I Reinvented My Favorite Takeout Meal Using This Easy Low Sodium Asian Stir Fry Sauce Recipe

According to chef Anthony, “A tasty low sodium Asian stir fry sauce starts with low-sodium soy sauce or tamari as the base, and other fresh, bold flavors like ginger, garlic, and sweetness from honey keep it light.” 

While these sauces seem easy, learning effective thickening methods ensures coats without watering down. 

Discover tweaks to flavors and consistency for your family’s tastes, with fresh ingredients and lack of preservatives meaning much healthier alternatives. 

Simple sauces become weekly staples with these tips taking yours from nice to crave-worthy.

Key Takeaways

• Use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari instead of regular soy sauce to significantly reduce the sodium content. Low-sodium varieties have approximately half the sodium as regular soy sauce.
• Make your own broth by simmering veggies like carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Avoid store-bought broth which tends to be high in sodium. Add vegetable water released while cooking veggies to the broth for extra flavor.
• Balance flavors with fresh ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, and a touch of brown sugar. These ingredients enhance taste so you don’t need to rely on salt as much. Grate or mince the ginger and garlic for maximum flavor distribution.

Easy Low Sodium Asian Stir Fry Sauce Recipe

Nothing elevates an ordinary stir-fry like a homemade sauce. With just a few pantry items, you can balance bold tastes without excess salt. 

This easy Asian-style recipe relies on fresh ginger and garlic paired with brown sugar for a lively condiment.

A brief simmer blends potent flavors into a glossy coating that clings perfectly to any stir-fry component. 

You’ll be amazed by the vibrant flavor this simple sauce adds—all while cutting back on sodium.

Ingredient : 

• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted stock

Steps:

1. Whisk cornstarch and water to make a slurry
2. Heat sesame oil in pan over medium heat
3. Add minced garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant
4. Whisk in remaining sauce ingredients (soy sauce, broth, sweetener etc)
5. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened slightly

Credit : Skinny Fat

Benefits of a Homemade Sauce

Benefit	Detail
Healthier than store bought	Without added preservatives or extra sodium.
Fresh flavors	From ginger, garlic, aromatics rather than artificial seasonings.
Easy to adjust	Tweak ingredients to taste or nutrition needs like low sodium.
Kids friendly	Simple ingredients they’ll recognize, can be involved in cooking.
Build confidence	Achievable recipe helps home cooks branch out.
Cost effective	Ingredients inexpensive but maximize flavor in meals.
Convenience	Large batch keeps well refrigerated for fast weeknight meals.

Store bought stir fry sauces are undoubtedly convenient but after years of relying on them, I’ve realized how much healthier and tastier homemade can be. 

With just a few basic pantry ingredients and this simple recipe, you’ll make a vast improvement nutrition-wise while still enjoying all the complex layers of flavor in each and every bite.

Customize It Your Way

• Make a larger batch and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks
• Adjust the level of heat with red pepper flakes to your taste preference
• Stir in protein like tofu, chicken or shrimp for a full meal
• Toss with fresh or frozen vegetables and noodles/rice for easy stir fries

After trying countless variations over the years, I’ve learned it’s easy and enjoyable to customize low sodium stir-fry sauce in many delicious ways. 

By doubling or tripling the recipe, you can have flavorful sauce readily available in the fridge for a speedy weeknight meal. 

Feel free to add a bit more red pepper to cater the heat level to different family members too.

Tips for Making a Healthy Low Sodium Sauce

Techniques to Reduce Sodium:

• Use low or no-sodium broths, stocks and seasonings
• Select low-sodium or no-salt added soy sauce/tamari
• Omit or reduce salt, sugar and oil amounts to lower calories

Ways to Enhance Flavor Naturally:

• Include more garlic and ginger for depth
• Brighten flavors with acidity from rice vinegar or citrus

Using unsalted or low-sodium options for stock, soy sauce and seasonings is key. Removing excess salt can sometimes make flavors dull – but not if you boost them naturally in other ways (1).

Instead of salt, I’ll add extra fresh garlic and ginger which pack a complex flavor with few calories (2). A splash of acidic rice vinegar or lemon juice perks things up too. With practice finding the right balance, you’ll be amazed how flavors can truly sing even with healthier tweaks.

Conclusion

While this simple recipe makes enough sauce for just a few servings, I hope sharing the techniques and tips will inspire your own creations. 

After years of balancing flavors in my homemade sauces, I’ve found just a few tweaks can take an ordinary dish and make it truly sing. 

Playing with different combinations of ginger, garlic and vinegar have kept things interesting week after week.

Most of all, I hope highlighting simple ways to cut back on ingredients like salt and sugar has proven that health and taste need not compromise each other. 

With a little practice finding your preferred levels, you’ll be left feeling fully satisfied without regret. 

Whether you try just one suggestion or make this recipe your new go-to, I wish you the joy of discovering what vibrant meals you can make.

Please share your favorite ways of enjoying low-sodium Asian stir fries in the comments! I’d love to hear what vegetable or protein combinations you’ve found to be a new family favorite thanks to the boost of flavor from homemade sauce.

References

1. https://hakkohub.com/low-sodium-soy-sauce/
2. https://thecleaneatingcouple.com/ginger-chicken/

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• https://bowlakechinese.com/healthy-chinese-food-recipes/
• https://bowlakechinese.com/low-sodium-stir-fry-recipes/
• https://bowlakechinese.com/chinese-flavors/