Andrew Wong’s beef ‘XO’ sauce

Umami-rich XO sauce is an integral part of Chinese cooking. Originating from Hong Kong, it is usually made with dried seafood, but here chef Andrew Wong shows you how to make a flavoursome XO sauce with beef.

Andrew says: “This sauce has roots in Hunanese and Sichuanese cooking. Stir it into fried rice, put it on top of congee or have it with whatever you’re eating, from a steak to a bowl of noodles. It’s not actually an XO sauce – it uses beef, not dried seafood – but it’s a pure umami bomb.”

British-born of Chinese heritage, as a child Andrew helped at his parents’ Pimlico restaurant. Determined not to go into hospitality, he went to university to study social anthropology but, after his father died, returned to help his mother. In the restaurant, intrigued by the connections he could see between food, culture and history, Andrew became determined to learn more about regional Chinese cuisines. He then spent six months travelling in China, learning local recipes and techniques, and returned to re-open the family restaurant as A Wong in 2012 (a nod to his parents, Albert and Annie). The restaurant has become a must-visit destination for food lovers. Follow Andrew on Instagram @awongsw1

Check out Andrew’s other must-make Chinese condiments: black bean sauce and ginger and spring onion relish.