Orange Reduction Sauce

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This homemade orange reduction sauce perfectly mimics Panda Express’ orange chicken sauce, balancing sweet, tangy, and umami flavors with a touch of heat and fresh notes of garlic, ginger, and orange zest.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: sauces

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: orange reduction sauce

Servings: servings

Author: Ashley Barbey

Ingredients

1/3 cup soy sauce gluten free
2/3 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
3 tbsp light brown sugar
Zest of one large orange
½ tbsp rice vinegar
1 ½ tbsp mirin gluten free
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp canola oil or any other neutral cooking oil
2 stalks of green onion finely chopped, reserving a tbsp of the greens for garnish
1 tbsp ginger grated, or ginger paste
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup water room temperature
1 tbsp of cornstarch

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, light brown sugar, orange zest, rice vinegar, mirin and sesame oil until well combined.
In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium low heat until hot. Add the green onion, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir until fragrant, softened and lightly brown.
Whisk in the orange juice/soy sauce mixture.
Cook over medium low heat until the mixture has reduced and thickened slightly, about 8-10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch, until smooth.
Drizzle the water/cornstarch mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly to avoid clumping. Continue to whisk until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat.

Notes

If you prefer a sweeter sauce, feel free to add a bit more sugar or honey. Increase the amount of rice vinegar or even a splash of lemon juice for more tanginess. Taste as you go, and don’t be afraid to tweak the balance until it’s just right.
Check ingredient labels to make sure they’re gluten-free. Generic soy sauce contains gluten. Rice vinegar and sesame oil are gluten-free, but there could be cross-contamination.
If you don’t have a zester, you can use the smallest holes on your cheese grater to zest the orange and grate the ginger.
Let the citrus sauce cool completely before storing it in a glass jar or air tight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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