Everyone once in a while I find a recipe that grabs me and calls to be made immediately. It happens every few months and it sends me running to the grocery store to gather all the ingredients if I already don’t have them on hand.
The sauce is a modified version served at Momofuku. It’s an infusion of ginger and scallions concentrated in a oil. It’s extremely salty so a little goes a long way.
I forget exactly when I saw the recipe for ginger scallion sauce but I remember having a conversation with Leanne of Three Dog Kitchen about it. (To my delight, our conversations always revolve around food. Or dogs. Or purses.) She had made it on several occasions and instead of using peanut or corn oil as listed, she recommended substituting it with grapeseed oil for its high smoke point. In addition, it gives it a cleaner taste.
The great thing about this sauce is its flexibility. I used it as an impromptu sauce for dipping bread, swirled into noodles or mixed into plain rice, I’ve also used it as a marinade for fish. I always have it available. Apparently it’s also a great addition to eggs, according to Francis Lam who posted this recipe on Gilt Taste.
It is my favorite condiment hands down. In recent incarnations, I’ve also added red pepper flakes if I want a little heat.
Ginger Scallion Sauce
Adapted from Gilt Taste
Makes 2 cups
2 bunches whole scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 ounces ginger, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons salt
Optional add-ons:
Garlic, one head, cloves peeled
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Using a food processor, add the scallions and shred until scallions are minced. Place scallions in large heatproof bowl that can accommodate hot oil.
Mince ginger (and garlic if adding) until it’s the same size as scallions. Place in bowl with scallions. Add salt.
In a medium pan, heat grapeseed oil until it just starts to smoke and pour into bowl. (Sizzling is normal.)
Cool and store in refrigerator.
My Burning Kitchen 
This dipping sauce is regularly served with a Chinese style boiled chicken (in Cantonsese it’s called: bak-cheet gai). I like your idea to swirl with noodles too!
I read about Chinese-style boiled chicken a few years ago and have been wanting to try it. I imagine it’s wonderful with the sauce.
We need to have more conversations about food, pups, and purses!
I think ginger scallion sauce is one of the most versatile sauces I’ve come across. I put it on fish, chicken, pork, and definitely eggs. It’s good on just about every carb – bread, buns (King’s Hawaiian rolls are always a good choice), tortillas, pita, rice, potatoes… And I love that you don’t really have to measure to make it. It’s one of those “more or less” and “season to taste” kind of recipes.
Using a microplane for the ginger means you get fewer fibers in the sauce and (I think) more gingery flavor, which I love. Mmm… I think I’ll have to make a small batch with the random scallions I have left in the fridge!
We do need more conversations about the above! I’ve never tried it with King’s Hawaiian rolls, tortillas or potatoes but since I have a constant supply on hand, it will be a priority.
I’ve been meaning to make this sauce! Recently, I’ve been cooking up a lot of fish and now I’m trying to find new accompaniments other than a lemon wedge 😉 This looks great.
I’ve been meaning to make this sauce!! Recently, I’ve been cooking up a lot of fish, and I am looking for new accompaniments other than a lemon wedge. This looks great!
Ah! Yes, I used to run into ruts of how what do do with fish too. Nothing wrong with a lemon wedge but it’s nice to change things up.
This sounds very good but what the the lifespan of the sauce in the fridge? There is no acid in here so is botulism a risk?