Introduction: THE MODIFIED MIEN SAUCE: an All Purpose Sauce for Meat and Seafood

This is a popular sauce that I learned from the Iu-Mien(eww-me'in) culture. They don't exactly have their own country, but they originated from China. They describe themselves as mountain people that live between the mountains of Thailand and Laos.

I first came across this sauce when I was attending a barbecue hosted by a few Mien people. They used this sauce to dipped their grilled meat into. I have also seen people add a spoonful of the sauce to their oysters. The first time I tried it, it was so spicy that I literally almost choked. Although it was spicy, it had a kick of sweet and sour. The mixture of those taste with the bland meat actually made it delicious,despite the burning sensation on my tongue.

I didn't exactly ask how the sauce was made, but I was able to figure it out once I saw the ingredients that it contained. I modified it slightly with a bit of Pico De Gallo style. This sauce goes perfect with barbecued meat and oysters.You can also use it for oven and fried meats. Once you have tried it, barbecue will never be the same without it!

Although I am actually not Mien, I have been complimented on making this sauce quite tasteful!

Step 1: Things You Will Need

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbs of garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 tbs of chopped Thai chili peppers
  • 1/2 cup of diced onion
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup of ripe mango cut into cubes
  • 1 cup of diced cucumbers
  • 1 cup of chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 tsp of MSG (optional)
  • 1 tbs of sugar
  • 1/2 oz of lime juice
  • 2 oz of fish sauce
  • 8 oz of water

*** Ingredients may be found at any local Asian store ***

Accessories:

  • Mortar
  • Pestle

If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you may use a blender instead.

Step 2: Mashing Peppers, Garlic, and Onions Together

Add your chopped garlic and peppers together into the mortar. Mash them together with your pestle so that the color of the peppers blend right into the garlic. Then, add the chopped onions and mash them together so that we can get the flavors to blend.

If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you may use a blender instead.

Step 3: Roasting Cherry Tomatoes

Heat the stove up to medium heat. Add the ten cherry tomatoes onto a pan, with no oil required. Stir them around softly until the color becomes glossy and the skin starts to burn. Once they are heated, put them into the same medium bowl that you have your blended garlic, peppers, and onions in.

Step 4: Mushing Your Roasted Tomatoes

Mush your roasted tomatoes using your pestle by pressing down softly on each tomato until it bursts. The juice will then flow into the rest of the ingredients. Next, use a scissor to cut your tomatoes into pieces instead of big chunks. It makes it easier to spoon out when eating.

If you are not using a mortar and pestle, just use the bottom of a spoon to mush up your tomatoes.

Step 5: Top With Cucumbers, Mangoes, and Cilantro

Add your cubed mangoes onto the bowl of mixed ingredients, then add the diced cucumbers. Next, add the chopped cilantro and slowly mix the ingredients so that it blends together nice and colorful.

Step 6: Mixing the Dry and Liquid Ingredients

Add your MSG, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and water together and mix slowly so that the seasoning blends.

Step 7: Season to Taste

Mix everything together and season to taste.

Add any extra ingredients, if necessary to fulfill your taste. If it's too sour, add some more fish sauce and sugar. If it's too salty, add some sugar and lime. If it's too sweet, add some more lime and fish sauce.

Some people like it sour, some likes it spicy, and some likes it sweet. I prefer a little bit and just enough of everything so that you can taste it all. How do you prefer yours?