Yum Yum Sauce

By Eric Kim

Published June 21, 2022

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(1,661)
Comments
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This mayonnaise-based Japanese steakhouse sauce tastes glorious with grilled shrimp, chicken and vegetables, or drizzled over a plate of fried rice. Slather it on a burger, use it as a dipping sauce for fried tofu, French fries and pizza crusts, or even as a salad dressing for crunchy iceberg, romaine or Little Gem lettuce. An all-purpose sauce for everyday pleasure, yum yum sauce should taste balanced with savoriness, sweetness and a touch of acid and gosoham, the Korean word often used to describe the nuttiness of sesame oil. Remember to salt generously so all the flavors can shine.

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Ingredients

Yield:About ¾ cup

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 1 tablespoon warm water

  • ½ cup mayonnaise

  • ¼ cup ketchup

  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

  • Salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

13 grams carbs; 30 milligrams cholesterol; 610 calories; 16 grams monosaturated fat; 37 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 62 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 809 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, stir together the garlic powder, paprika and warm water. Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, rice vinegar and sesame oil, and season generously with salt. Stir until smooth.

  2. Step 2

    Yum yum sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,661 user ratings
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Comments

ian walsh

Individual ingredients can be stored for long periods because they do not support bacterial growth for particular reasons, e.g. too acid, too dry, no nutrients, no carbohydrates, too salty, etc. When you combine ingredients the mixture may shift towards a happy medium and bacteria, mold and yeast can grow. Or it could be as simple as the mixture (emulsion) separates and look gross. Caveat, i'm an oceanographer not a food scientist.

Sandy B

An alternative for the yum yum sauce is Jacques Pepin's red sauce (he plates the sauce with a crab cake set on top, very good), from Fast Food My Way: 1/3 c. mayo, 2 T ketchup, 1 t wasabi paste, 2 t lime juice, 1 T water, 2 t chopped chives. In a pinch, I've made it with first 3 ingredients only, still very good. Also goes well with fried green tomatoes, cold shrimp, fish.

Bill

Shelf life is limited by the addition of moisture to garlic powder. Almost all garlic contains clostridium botulinum spores (the cause of botulism poisoning). These spores cannot grow in a dehydrated state but will start to propagate when water is added to the environment.

João

if anyone’s wondering, the name fits it perfectly!

Tom

Um…sounds like thousand island dressing…to me…

KT

Any suggestions for a powdered garlic replacement ingredient? Fresh garlic is a no-go also 😩.

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