Mama Lo's Cannabis-Infused XO Sauce
Through my journey with Sous Weed, my parents watched me heal myself with cannabis-infused edibles and plants as one would with Traditional Chinese Medicine. When you take a look back, cannabis has ancient history rooted in medicine. In the 2nd century, the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant were first recorded by Hua Tuo, a Chinese physician, using liquor and cannabis to create a general anesthetic for surgery. These days, Asian Americans are the group least likely to support cannabis legalization. There’s a gap in our Asian cannabis history due to the Opium Wars but we in the industry have a great responsibility to change the narrative and break generational stigmas. I started with my parents using food.
For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I taught my mama how to Sous Weed and she taught me a few of my favorite childhood recipes, including this cannabis-infused XO sauce. XO sauce, the ultimate umami-bomb condiment, was invented in Hong Kong in the 80’s and it was so trendy when I was a kid. It’s chock full of dried seafood, peppers, allium, and porky goodness. Family friends would bring back little jars of XO sauce from their travels to share and we’d enjoy them tossed in fresh noodles or on stir fried veggies; everything it touches is fancy AF.
Mom and I whipped up a large batch to share with my girlfriends medicated with infused lard made from porchetta drippings from Roli Roti and flowers from my buds at Popup Potcorn.
Cannabis-Infused XO Sauce
Serves 20
Ingredients:
• 1/4 lb dried scallops
• 1/4 lb dried shrimp, medium to large size
• 10g dried flounder, optional
• Boiling water
• 3 large shallots, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, large
• 1 thumb ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped red chili peppers, I used a mix of Thai chilies and red jalapeno
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 cup chicken stock, I used Roli Roti Bone Broth
• 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Sous Weed Lard
Directions:
1. Place dried scallops, shrimp, and flounder in separate bowls and pour in boiling water to soak for at least an hour. Set aside.
2. Take the bowl of rehydrated scallops and microwave for 1-2 minutes, until tender and flaky. Drain the water from scallops, shrimp, and flounder (I like to save the infused water to use in soups or congee.)
3. Using your hands, take scallops and shred into thin strands, we tend to leave some strands chunkier than others for a variety of textures.
4. In a food processor, add shrimp, flounder, shallots, garlic, ginger, and chilies and pulse 10 times until roughly chopped. Set aside.
5. In a large cast iron or dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add scallops to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shrimp mixture in and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the color turns a warm golden color.
6. Add Shaoxing wine, chicken stock, brown sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Sous Weed lard. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer and turn the heat down low. The mixture will thicken and absorb into the seafood. Simmer on low for an additional 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
7. Taste the XO sauce and adjust oyster sauce and soy sauce levels to your preference. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring into glass jars and storing in the refrigerator.
