Guide to OYSTER SAUCE + Tasting Cheap VS Premium!

If you love cooking Asian food, oyster sauce is probably already sitting in your kitchen. But do you know if the one you have is “a good one”? And is expensive oyster sauce you did or didn't buy worth the splurge? This post will discuss everything you need to know about oyster sauce, including what it is, how to use it, and which brand is the best after tasting them straight up AND in a stir fry!
00:42 What is oyster sauce?
01:20 What is the best oyster sauce - taste test.
04:14 What can labels tell us?
06:42 Oyster sauce consistency. Thick vs thin?
06:57 Tasting vegetarian oyster sauce
08:17 Tasting premium vs cheap oyster sauce in a stir fry
10:41 Oyster sauce storage tips
FISH SAUCE Guide + Tasting • Ultimate Guide to FISH...
SOY SAUCE Guide • Ultimate Guide to SOY ...
GAI LAN STIR FRY RECIPE • My Go-To Side: Gai Lan...
READ THE BLOG FOR MORE: hot-thai-kitchen.com/oyster-s...
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About Pai:
Pailin “Pai” Chongchitnant is the author of the Hot Thai Kitchen cookbook, co-host of a Canadian TV series One World Kitchen on Gusto TV, and creator and host of the KZbin channel Pailin's Kitchen.
Pai was born and raised in southern Thailand where she spent much of her "playtime" in the kitchen. She traveled to Canada to study Nutritional Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and was later trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in San Francisco.
After working in both Western and Thai professional kitchens, she decided that her passion really lies in educating and empowering others to cook at home via KZbin videos, her cookbook, and cooking classes. She currently lives in Vancouver, and goes to Thailand every year to visit her family. Visit her at hot-thai-kitchen.com

[@PailinsKitchen]

Sawaddee Ka! A couple of notes: If I didn't include a brand here, it's because it's not available and I have not tried them so I cannot tell you how they stack up. Related videos I mentioned: FISH SAUCE Guide + Tasting kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGnJqGObd86hhNU SOY SAUCE Guide kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWWmfp6Va9alZqc GAI LAN STIR FRY RECIPE kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX6nantje6eshZo THANKS TO OUR PATREON MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING THE SHOW! If you want to watch my videos AD-FREE and get bonus content, please consider joining us, and you'll help support the show as well :) More details here: www.patreon.com/pailinskitchen IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS check out the blog post on the website hot-thai-kitchen.com/oyster-sauce-101/ and your question might be answered there. I often add extra info not covered in the video. If you still have questions you can post it here for the community to answer, or tweet me on Twitter @hotthaikitchen, or refer to the contact page on my website. If you leave questions in the comments I may not see them due to the large volume of comments. As always, thank you for watching! - Pai

[@kingofdehsea]

thank you for validating my opinion lmao. I hear in china the best oyster sauces are often quite fluid, as they are mostly the original oyster extract that is boiled down. Unfortunately, I'm yet to find an oyster sauce that high quality in the US. I started to make an effort to buy the more mid-high ranged cooking items like cooking wine, oyster sauce, and soy sauce when I began paying attention to ingredient lists and have definitely noticed very distinct improvements in terms of they oyster sauces I buy and cooking wines too. I will say, even though I do prefer the mid to higher range soy sauces, I still think cheap soy sauces are so good still! It's just the magic of that ingredient I guess.

[@JamesChenisKing]

Or use a tooth pick like they do with shrimp paste

[@jasonl4647]

the "lady on the boat" is the classic one. it actually saids so right there on the label, in 2 words. I think panda is the newer economy line.

[@OB-LA]

Hi Pailin! Over my years of working in kitchens a great tip I’ve learned for taste comparison of ingredients is to dilute with a bit of water and taste again after the initial tasting. It will cut some of the salt, allowing your palate to pick up and compare more of the underlying flavors, much in the same way that when tasting spirits diluting with a bit of water cuts the bite of the alcohol, allowing more perception of flavor. I use this technique a lot, especially after tasting the ingredient on its own as you have. Love the channel, keep it coming!

[@PailinsKitchen]

That's so helpful! I drank water in between each tasting but diluting the sauce is a great idea, so I can taste more!

[@yongwoo1020]

Great comment!

[@christopheroliver148]

@@PailinsKitchen Also by thinning, you'll experience it more at the intensity it would have in actual use. I've been using the 'tall bottle burly housewife" oyster sauce in my fried noodle recipe, but now I must track down the "lady in the boat." It's much like my quest for Son fish sauce, and good Mirin and Shaoxing. Sadly Michigan Liquor Control Commission makes finding unsalted Asian spirits very very difficult even though I've been legal for decades.

[@benbloom41]

I also recommend stir fying each with 1/2 cup of rice and see which one puts out the best flavor.

[@tslee8236]

With dilution, you get closer to the actual taste that you'll get in the dish.

[@_Uh_Oh_]

I've bought the "lady in the boat" sauce here in the UK before and it was really delicious. As you say, you could definitely just use it as a dip by itself. Sweet & thick and lovely taste.

[@befuddled2010]

I totally LOVE your tip at the end to maximize the contents of the bottle. As an Italian, we always rinse/wash our cans and bottles of tomato passata to get every last drop out! Great presentation and very easy to follow. Thank you so much! ❤

[@frankfagnano3330]

Thank you for demystifying all of these different oyster sauces, especially for somebody who is just trying to learn Asian cooking and has no clue what they're doing. I have a couple different bottles of oyster sauces, along with a bottle of the "Lady-in-the-Boat" kind of sauce that I got because of watching J. Kenji Lopez-Alt and it seemed like the right thing to do. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but thank you for letting me know. It is greatly appreciated from a total novice such as myself

[@fialee8]

Your "Lady on the Boat" is often called "old style" oyster sauce. That is also my preferred oyster sauce. It is prob the closest to the original Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce flavor (and as you pointed out early, he's the inventor of the sauce).

[@MingWLee]

The Old style is the original actually, their panda brand comes out as a cheaper option for those who don't want to spend much on oyster sauce. Here in Canada and HK/China nowadays, there are lots of choice of oyster sauce. I still prefer Old Style the most but some other brand are not bad at all.

[@JorgedelasAlas]

The difference in prices between the premium oyster sauces and the affordable brands is like heaven and earth. The same goes for soy sauces (vinegars are more forgiving). For fish sauce, I prefer Thai brands. I'm Filipino, BTW. For everyday cooking, we use the cheaper brands, while we use the "good stuff" on special occasions.

[@DuduTheDoraAmon]

I feel like vinegars are not as forgiving as you think. In Chinese cooking at least, we mostly use it as dipping sauce, or in salads. You can really taste the quality. Ageing vinegar is the best, 7 years are the most popular l, 3 years if you want a all purpose one.

[@JorgedelasAlas]

@@DuduTheDoraAmon In that context. I have to agree. I was coming from how Filipinos use vinegar in their cooking. But there are a variety of vinegars here in the Philippines.

[@wagamama471]

Have you tried Vietnamese fish sauce? I’m an oversea Chinese and I rank Fish sauce like VN,Thai,Hong Kong,China.

[@JorgedelasAlas]

@@wagamama471 I have not. I will look for a Vietnamese brand the next time I do the groceries. Thank you for your input.

[@wagamama471]

@@JorgedelasAlas I have just watched Pailin’s fish sauce video. Surprisingly her top 2 are also from Vietnam :o

[@petesepiceats]

For vegetarian oyster sauce, try to get your hands on the Chan Moon Kee brand. I swear it tastes so much like real oyster sauce, yet is from mushrooms. While I still use genuine oyster sauce most often, I do occasionally use the CMK vegetarian version. For my niece with severe food allergies, I use the CMK vegetarian version because it’s soy-free.

[@hidavidhuang]

Bravo! I have been waiting for this oyster sauce comparison video for years! Glad you made it for all of us! Thank you!

[@vltree]

To make it easier to pour out from the glass bottle, I add a bit of Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing for example) and mix it in with a chopstick, to thin it down. That is an ingredient I typically add to all dishes anyway, and I think the alcohol helps preserve the sauce as well. As a condiment straight up, the alcohol is barely noticeable.

[@lottatroublemaker6130]

Why don’t you just shake the bottle after you add the cooking wine instead of sticking a chop stick into the bottle to mix it in? Just wondering… :)

[@karenbenavente1124]

Great Tip! 🤗

[@wc5741]

Lady on the boat is premium and more genuine because it has 40% oyster extract, compared to 11% in the panda version. In Australia the packaging has that information printed on the label. I believe the American version shown in the video doesn't show that. "Premium" is not the literal translation from the Chinese name. "舊庄" is more like "original/old fashion". Panda is the newer version which has less less oyster extract content thus the lower price. Provided that it isn't that more expensive for the premium version here in Australia, lady on the boat is my "go to".

[@ianbruce9603]

I just discovered this series, and it's been incredibly useful to me. I'll be producing a line of nutritionally-enhanced cooking sauces for poorer, rural asian consumers, and wouldn't know a good oyster sauce (or fish sauce, etc.) from a bad one. While nothing's going to align my palette with that of my target market, making fewer mistakes from the beginning should greatly help to expedite recipe-building and focus-group testing. Thank you, Pailin. 😊🙏🙏

[@xabo4700]

I love when you make these test videos! Helps me out a lot, when I go shopping for my thai recipes. 😊

[@TF_NowWithExtraCharacters]

For our vegetarian viewers, I'd like to mention, the 4 words on the LKK vegetarian oyster sauce label (clear view at 7:10) 素食蚝油 is the literal translation of "vegetarian oyster sauce". Show that to any Chinese-speaking grocery shopkeep and you should be able to find that category of products. 素食 = "vegetarian" (or you can look for anything that says 斋, this is mostly Buddhist-vegetarian, so no garlic/onion/shallots as well) 蚝油 = together means "oyster sauce" (my character looks different cos it's simplified vs traditional Chinese). Note, 蚝 on its on means oyster, but 油 on its own means oil, not sauce.

[@PailinsKitchen]

So helpful. Thank you!

[@xafronicajones]

Healthy boy brand has a mushroom sauce aswell a good sub

[@ashra9905]

Thank you for the fantastic information!

[@tavitlertritsumpun7160]

That is probably why in Thailand we call it น้ำมันหอย (nam mun hoy)literally translated into oyster oil.

[@tobelee6985]

蠔油

[@nancychan6374]

The lady on the boat is what my parents used and what I have always used. Drizzle over Gai Lan, or in cooking. A staple in our kitchen!

[@triton6127]

I discovered Lady in the Boat a few years ago and have always kept it in an old sriracha bottle. Pai, you have taught me so much! I'm so proud of the skills you've taught me!

[@kenguyen321]

First time viewer and I love how educational this is! More info about Asian cooking and ingredients is always appreciated

[@andersonomo597]

Yes, 'lady on the boat' is more expensive - but here in Australia it's about the same price as an 'everyday' (aka cheap) bottle of wine, or a MacDonald's burger - but it lasts WAY WAY longer than both, is higher quality with better ingredients, tastes better and you can often get it on sale. Well worth the couple of extra dollars over the cheap ones IMHO!

[@wooof.]

As another Australian I would love to know your recommendations for all your sauces! Soy, oyster etc

[@chopsticksforlegs]

@@wooof. Lee kum kee premium soy sauce and dark sauce is what you need. It's a game changer for cooking Asian food. I also use fish sauce but I prefer my food salty so I use the squid brand version. If I see the premium squid brand, I'll get that. It's so much better.

[@loonyTlu]

The squeeze bottle is a great tip! This is something I’m going to do with several thicker condiments.

[@ntong22]

I just watched all your videos on fish sauce, oyster sauce and soy sauce! It’s funny how we tend to use what we grew up seeing our parents use but I wanted to see how it compared to other brands. Super helpful. Thank you!

[@1970joedub]

I recently discovered the wonders of adding oyster sauce to my sauce making, several years ago, and it’s a culinary game changer!

[@echris00]

Thanks for your review! Incidentally, I only recently discovered the difference between the Panda and "Boat Lady" brand distinction this past weekend at the Asian grocery store. I assumed that both were the same because of the Lee Kum Kee brand. I've picked up the Panda brand ones not because of the price, but because it came in a much larger bottle so I figured it would last longer. During this past trip, I picked up a few but then did a double take when I saw that the Boat Lady brand was on sale. This led me to take a closer look at the Panda label to discover that it was marketed not as oyster sauce, but "oyster-flavored sauce." Checking and seeing that the oyster extract was so low on the ingredient list made me put back the three bottles I had in my cart and swap them out for three of the Boat lady.

[@cyclopsvision6370]

Yes, you are correct. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. The Panda brand of Lee Kum Kee is more of a budget line, and the first 3 ingredients are water, sugar, and salt. The premium LKK line's first ingredient is oyster extractives.

[@anthony1087]

That was hilarious when you tried that fourth one I was laughing out loud because of the confused, disappointed and not happy look you gave about the taste of that one. I'm really enjoying your videos not only are they informational but they have a honest comedic side to them which I really like. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of these products

[@michaelmcnally1242]

All your videos are fantastic, but these ingredient ones are extremely valuable.

[@willhandy5345]

So helpful. I’ve never used oyster sauce, so I was completely in the dark. I’ve run into a few recipes that called for it and looked good, but I had no idea what to buy. You have done me a considerable service.

[@cedyy1]

totally agree that the LKK premium brand has a more complex flavour that justifies its price. it's my go-to dipping sauce for steamed chicken

[@warrenkawamoto8660]

When my oyster sauce is running low, I store the bottle upside down. Works wonders!

[@vittoriabakes]

I loved this! I have been using the boat lady oyster sauce for a couple years. Nothing beats it. More of these comparison videos, please!

[@cath7498]

So entertaining, thorough, and informative as usual! Love these types of videos from you. I've been using the Thai one but will definitely get Boat Lady next.

[@SM-rv8zt]

I've always used the LKK premium aka "lady" one because that's the OG Chinese staple. I did run out a while back and had to get a bottle of panda at a chain supermarket. I tasted it and didn't really like it but used it anyway and the dish turned out fine. I agree with you that the more ingredients the sauce you're making have, the more you can get away with using the lower end one. Something like garlic noodles turned out great with panda. But on something where the sauce really matters like stir frying plain veggies, taste is night and day.

[@blureader1164]

My favorite is the LKK "lady on the boat" but I also like the Thai brand too. If I'm making stir fried ong-choi/marigold, I use both. The LKK to me is slightly sweeter and it balances out the saltier Thai brand. Those are the only 2 that I will buy, and I often use them together.

[@yensikorski5546]

Thanks for the thorough review, who knew one could be so entertained by a video of oyster sauce? I esp loved the asian auntie tip for getting every last drop!

[@yummytummy88]

Pai. Your honesty is so welcoming. For regular cooking, I usually use the panda brand but for premium veggies cooking and stir fry, I have to upgraded to the "lady on the boat brand".

[@Waltkat]

Being Chinese, I grew up with the "lady in the boat" oyster sauce. It's what my mother used and what I continue to use. Plus it's easily available at Costco. Lol

[@christopheroliver148]

Thanks for the info. I have a friend who goes to costco, and I just might deputize him. I've been using the Thai stuff shown here in the tall bottle with the burly woman on the label, but I always welcome an opportunity to improve things.

[@trappenweisseguy27]

Lady in the boat is always nice to munch on.

[@suzannes5888]

That's awesome - what area do you live in that your Costco has that? (My Costco has a lot of Asian stuff, but I haven't ever seen that oyster sauce. I shop in Northern Virgina/ the Washington DC metro area.)

[@Waltkat]

@@suzannes5888 I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA. I don't know if all Costco's nationwide carry the same thing though. If not then it may be available through their website. Be aware that the bottle size they carry is quite large (typical Costco, lol) and unless you use it frequently it may spoil after opening even if stored in the fridge. You can try decanting it into smaller containers and freezing it. The price is pretty cheap though at just a little more than what an 18oz bottle would cost at an Asian store. Cooking hint: try mixing a little oyster sauce with some soy sauce and pour it on a steak on low heat for the last 30 seconds or so of cooking. Don't use high heat because soy sauce burns easily. Enjoy!

[@wolfyklip]

I been using the LKK original oyster sauce for over 40 years , as did my mom since the 1960's. Yes, it's the best hands down!!

[@pomptonqueen]

I've been using the Panda since I live in a rural area and consider myself lucky to find any oyster sauce. I have ordered some 'boat lady' on your recommendation. I'm looking forward to making even tastier Thai dishes. I love your videos. I always learn something new. Keep up the good work!

[@JeffWhite417]

Thank you for this helpful video...no telling how many hours I've spent staring at labels of Asian sauces in my local markets over the years. This really helps!

[@malcontent510]

3:58 this is the funniest reaction-love it!

[@kaleelee8590]

The only oyster sauce brand I ever use is the LKK Premium, it's the best! The squeeze bottle is such a good idea, thanks for the tips.

[@ByulSo]

Love that you included the vegetarian ones too. Glad I was in the right track me already use the boat lady one!!

[@jaquestraw1]

I was just researching oyster sauces a couple days ago. Great timing!

[@enzmondo]

In our household, we exclusively use Panda Brand Lee Kum Kee mostly because it's much more accessible than the others, price-wise and availability-wise as well. Transfering the sauce into a sterile squeeze bottle sounds like a great idea and a lot more practical than fitting an entire 500ml glass bottle in a tight fridge.

[@KSGomez88]

I love these ingredient videos!! I watch your soy and fish sauce videos at least twice day 😂

[@RayMak]

Love this comparison so much. So detail

[@robertfujisaki5348]

Nice job! Very comprehensive review and comparison of oyster sauces. 👏

[@JohnT_72]

I use lady on the boat. I did a much less thorough taste test, I bought the Thai brand you use, and replaced it with the lady on the boat (as that was on sale at the Asian store). I did a side by side with those 2, and found the lady on the boat tasted much better for my taste buds. Thanks for all the great info and making me a better home cook! :)

[@btaleonard02]

Lady on the boat Chinese description on the bottle means original flavor.

[@MK-zz1dt]

Long time fans of all Lee Kum Kee oyster sauces. Cheap oyster sauces often taste strange, like artificial stuffs. Just read the ingredients. Premium ones usually can be eaten directly, the Cantonese restaurants just drizzle it on the blanched Chinese kale or other vegetables. Great!

[@scottsellers9039]

Blanched romaine lettuce or sliced pok choi with a drizzle of LKK premium, toasted sesame oil, and a sprinkle of sugar! Da bomb!

[@fourtywater77]

WOW! Another amazing helpful video. Thanks for educating us rookie Thai cooks!

[@blackfalconn]

I LOVE the squeeze bottle tip, thank you so much!

[@anitacher2412]

Yes, that is what I do. I put my Oyster sauce in a squeeze bottle and then turn the glass bottle upside down with its cover on and leave it for a couple of days to drip or flow down to the top. Then I open it and try to scrape out the balance that has accumulated at the mouth of the bottle. I cannot bare to waste any of it. And yes, my mother used to cook with the Lady in the Boat brand so many years ago (more than 40 or 50!) and I followed her and keep buying it now.

[@ptg01]

Fascinating !!! Well done ! I prefer the premium LKK but for everyday use, I use "Panda". Can't go wrong with either one in my book !

[@skatingcanuck9837]

Thank you Pailin - I’m so excited to watch this video!

[@jackietran1644]

Was just debating with my friend the merits of the boat lady. So glad you posted this!

[@annchovy6]

There’s a Cantonese brand of oyster sauce in Chinese supermarkets that I like for having the simplest ingredients list. The writing is all in Chinese but it has a photo of an oyster and is a product of Guangdong.

[@shirokisasaki3233]

I guess it's either "Pearl River Bridge珠江桥牌"or “Sha Jing沙井”， they are both from Guangdong, there is also another popular cantonese brand called "Haitian 海天"，it's label is mostly yellow.

[@MudderGirl13]

I've been using the Megachef oyster sauce and I'm very happy with it.

[@paul2d]

I switched to lady in the boat last year and have been very satisfied with it. Thanks for the detailed reasoning here.

[@martarabello5560]

You are amazing! Very professional, funny and captivating. Thank you for the tips

[@jaynorris1879]

Another saving trick I use. When making Pailin’s stir fry sauce, I pour the soy sauce and fish sauce into the oyster sauce bottle and shake! I end up with a little more of the oyster sauce in my batch, but there’s no waste. We use it all the time, so the bottle needs refilling frequently!

[@maydaygarden]

I was down to maybe a tablespoon of the Panda oyster flavor sauce and took your tip to make an all-purpose stir fry sauce in the same bottle. Worked great! THANKS 👍

[@Vablonsky]

I have intuitively bought and used the "Boat Lady" Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce ever since I've used oyster sauce. And, your spectacular video confirms what I have suspected from day one. That it is the best and most complex in flavor. I mean, even its label is the best and most complex! LoL

[@morganstubie]

I love healthy boy hot sauces, Sukiyaki in particular. I knew nothing about oyster sauce and have been dragging my feet on buying some. Now I can with your help!!!! Thanks!!!🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@darwinkius]

Thank you for being the Rosetta Stone of mainstream oyster sauces 🙏 I bought and used “Lady on the Boat” after watching this video, and there is no turning back to Panda brand now!

[@princescott7188]

Love ❤ watching your shows, very insightful 👌 👏 👍.

[@skullhorse2286]

got the Healthy Boy mushroom vegetarian sauce a few months ago and its completely changed my cooking game! As a vegan its been a great addition to noodles and stir fry dishes and I can't imagine cooking without it now.

[@jacksonhuang5507]

Thanks for the taste test. Still waiting and looking forward to your second cook book. Hope it come out soon.

[@classical7]

Sooooo glad you did the testing! Thank you.

[@dimashdears3051]

There's definite difference between LKK Panda oyster sauce and LKK Premium oyster sauce. I should know. I've been using these two oyster sauce regularly for years practically nearly everyday.

[@charlesdang2557]

LKK Panda works well for me. I adjust accordingly for saltiness. The consistency is excellent. It pours well even when taken straight out of the refrigerator. The funky, non LKK brands sold at western stores such as Walmart clump up.

[@Prince.Prince1999]

Nice! Facial expression "not good" priceless!

[@stevesilberman4479]

Great tips btw. Love the suggestion to use a squeeze bottle! I use Kikomon vegetarian because it is Kosher, which is a major limiting factor in regards to selection.

[@KetoAsianFlavours]

Since I’m following the keto diet, I’ve created my own premium oyster sauce. Ingredients alone costs $25+ 😂 Before going keto 4 years ago, I used the premium oyster sauce “lady on the boat” by Lee Kim Kee. It’s not just about taste, it’s about taste and ingredients to me. I did not know Lee Kum Kee accidentally discovered it…Great video!

[@dervoss3841]

I really like the healthy boy mushroom sauce. It has the same application as oystersauce but I think it's a very different puppy. I also like to use it in European style creamy mushroom sauces. It turns the mushroom flavour to 11

[@73Stargazer]

This is seriously so helpful! Thank you so much. We bought the panda one a bit ago. We definitely need to try the lady in the boat one

[@natashadonnelly7939]

I gasped at the squeeze bottle idea. Pure genius! And I have an empty squeeze bottle that's been floating around my kitchen. Thanks for all the tips!

[@adamas66]

Hi Pailin! Love your review! My mum insists on the “lady on the boat” sauce. My sister tried to buy her the Panda version, mum was so upset and made me replace it pronto! I have to agree with you about the complexity in the flavour of the sauce. Way more depth and flavour in comparison. Cannot wait to see more of your videos!

[@DuduTheDoraAmon]

Hahah my mum too. 😂😂😂

[@delloda]

The lady on the boat" Brand is just the preium version of the panda brand. Both are made by Lee Kum Kee.

[@dericcyk]

i just discovered lkk premium 1 month ago, and i was surprised that it can taste so different and nice in all my cooking. although more expensive it's really way better tasting and less salty since now most people are cutting down salt

[@adamas66]

@@dericcyk i think some of the lower priced sauces use oyster-flavouring as opposed to oyster essence (or equivalent) found in the more premium products, hence the difference in flavour. Do please try to catch Pailin's Kitchen's review of Fish Sauce! That one also helped me open my eyes (and tastebuds) too! Cheers!

[@donotneed2250]

Using a squeeze bottle is great for a lot of things in the kitchen. I also keep sugar in one and I use one for my pancake batter. I think I may have seen too many restaurants growing up(grandmother cooked for a living) and saw a number of Mess Halls on active duty so I picked up things/ideas. I might just be pulling out one of the woks for dinner today.

[@EnchantedwithPoodles]

Thank you for this very informative video. I’ve just recently started using oyster sauce and you’ve just answered many questions for me. Luckily I stumbled upon the, “lady in the boat,” version, not knowing any different. Thanks again.

[@user-le3qf3tu8j]

How would we have been aware of these wonderful products without a production like this, thank you so much for your videos.

[@sgurung7045]

Hi Pai, Thank you for making this series comparing sauces. Whenever i go to the asian supermarket to buy these sauces I'm stumped at which to pick and always end up going with what I have used before. Now I can venture out with more knowledge !

[@Oneness100]

Can you do more of these comparisons? You have probably the best comparison of sauces I've seen yet. I would like to see comparisons of different dark and light soy sauce.. Different types of vinegars. Rice. Plum sauce. Hoison sauce.. just to name a few… Thank you!!

[@PailinsKitchen]

Hi Adam here and thanks! Great idea and added to the "request list" :) Cheers!

[@Quiltaholic10]

Hello I have tried all the brands you mentioned due curiosity of taste and now I only use the boat lady because of the reasons you concluded. I use it for cooking mostly and hardly as drizzling over unless it has to be cooked with other ingredients. I find it is a bit strong to my taste as straight out of the bottle onto the vegetables. Thank you for making this video. You are so thorough with the comparisons. Xoxo

[@capnbadboy]

Good call. I did research before buying Lady and the boat. I love it. I also like Golden Mountain sauce, and sometimes use both in soups and stir fries

[@rikmcrae]

I use the premium LKK sauce for Chinese dishes and as a dipping sauce. I use the Maekrua for Thai dishes. Seems like I got it right 👍

[@thythyli]

Everytime I use the Panda one I have to pour more to get the "oyster" flavor in the dish. So even if it's cheaper it won't last as much as the premium one. So I always go with the premium one!

[@adiazim5098]

Absolutely brilliant! Thanks- it’s just a pure review!

[@tanluwils1736]

OMG...that Asian auntie moment took me back... lol... I didn't expect the brand to impact the flavor of that stirfry as much as it did, so thanks for doing this video! I've been experimenting with different brands of oyster sauce but haven't tried Lee Kum Kee's Boat Lady one. I'll keep an eye out for it, thanks!

[@laurta3821]

I grew up using the Panda oyster sauce but when I moved out and lived on my own, I started using the Thai (with the lady) brand oyster sauce. I personally like the Thai brand more compared to the Panda, as I also found it (Panda) to be a bit more salty. Haven't tried the lady on the boat yet, but now I'm excited to give it a try! Also, thank you so much for going into details about the different brands of oyster sauces. Highly appreciated! (:

[@kenasaoka888]

This is such a wonderful video ! I always wondered how those oyster sauces compare to each other. I always thought the Lady on the boat one tasted good(more oyster flavor) but I wasn't sure how it would do against other brand. Right now I have a completely different oyster sauce brand at home and it's not bad. I bought em on huge sale. It was paired with a bottle of Abalone Sauce. Have you tried any Abalone sauce before? It looks like lighter color version of oyster sauce. It has different kind of umami. Definitely milder and sweeter. Almost tastes like seaweed paste. I really like it. You can use it just like oyster sauce or if you wanna cook something with less brown color, Abalone sauce doesn't add much color because it is almost transparent light brown.

[@PailinsKitchen]

I haven't used abalone sauce before, but will look out for it now!

[@pattra7590]

Woww!! This video is SO useful for Thai people who live overseas. I’m always afraid to use other brands besides the regular Thai one. Now I’ll always keep the premium boat lady in the house. 😄 Thank you!

[@heyfunny3036]

I bought the lady in the boat oyster sauce because of this video, and compared it to what I already had. You are so right, thank you so much. I was hoping for a great quality, complex flavor and this brand is perfect.

[@lippenserver5583]

There's another premium brand MegaChef that would be my choice if available. High concentration of oyster extract, no MSG and absolutely not diluted (and salted) with soy sauce. If you are used to cooking with Mae Krua, then you actually need to add a bit more soy sauce with Megachef for same result. It's so good I've even made some salad dressings with a dab of it... For fish sauce I would go with Razorclam brand and for soy sauce I use Japanese style Asahi soy sauce made in their Thai factory. Flavour-wise it's a bit different from Thai soy sauce, but I prefer fermented. As to "Healthy Boy" brand, I have absolutely never found anything to my liking (even though they are immensely popular in Thailand).

[@fred5784]

I agree, Megachef all the way. I buy mine online from MalaMarket.

[@peterdoe2617]

Thanks for that tip! I'm using Megachef fishsauce. Got it recommended in Australia. Only to find that I can get it here in Pinneberg, Germany, too. For soy I'm using the less sodium Kikkoman and "thin" and "black" Healthy boy brand.

[@eeyumpeeyum]

100%! Megachef’s Oyster has the least amount of ingredients. And 45% oyster extract.

[@PailinsKitchen]

Yes! I've been wanting to try Megachef oyster sauce but we don't have it here!

[@nobracobra]

i prefer mega chef also

[@leahtorres8638]

Thank you. So fun and I appreciate your Asian aunts tips. ;)

[@leahtorres8638]

By the way, as I was looking into an empty can of coconut milk, I wondered if there was an aunty tip for that. Then it occurred to me that you could create a video or several of compiled auntie tips. This might be a lot of work if you were to pull them from previous videos, but really helpful for viewers who would like to catch them. Meanwhile, I'm going to look for your coconut milk video to get the auntie tip.

[@accessdenied3350]

So glad your video randomly popped up on my feeds👍 *subscribed*

[@natnat22]

Love your candid reaction when it came to Healthy Boy thick oyster sauce! 🤣 Indeed Lady on the Boat is the best. Thanks for your clip! 😘

[@maxlin3721]

My way of using oyster sauce is I usually use Lee's brand for Chinese stir fry, but when I cook Thai food, I always use ตราแม่ครัว (Mae Kruai).

[@classicrocksd]

If you haven't already you should do a similar side by side of popular thai curry pastes like mae ploy, maesri! Maybe compare to homemade curry paste as well! Although, for a fair comparison of effort you should add a little lemongrass and kaffir lime to the curry made with the storebought paste since that takes zero effort and makes it 10x better

[@lmnl13]

This!!!!

[@aznsrey1324]

Same here! That's what I use for my curry! I love mae ploy 😋

[@WendyHLee]

She did a video recently comparing curry paste. Go check it out :-)

[@thanyawadeekongtimbalogh3122]

My son wants to be a chef and he likes your clips lots. We cook Thai food everyday and use lots of Thai sauces and pastes. Thank you for your great work.

[@PWL1371]

Absolutely love this video. I will be ordering "boat lady" online. I checked and it will recognize " boat lady oyster sauce". Been using Ty Ling and after looking at the video I checked my sauce, surprise! No oysters. Thank you for taking the time to make this video and educating people on what is going on with this sauce : )

[@jodywhitehead9173]

I lived in Australia for a year and their labeling laws were very helpful. When shopping for oyster sauce I noticed they would include the percentage of oysters in their product. The premium were about double. I just checked my pantry and my backup bottle turned out to be Panda brand. lol

[@mad_max21]

I mean the price is double too. Not that surprising.

[@will168]

More than that actually. LKK Panda is 11% and LKK Premium is 40%.

[@muek]

The Premium "Lady on thee Boat" is the "go to" even though they have been slight harder to find these past few years compared to the Panda version.

[@jamesduthie3784]

Excellent presentation. Very interesting, informative, helpful. Great job!