Honey is offered as a substitute for sugar. Honey spikes blood sugar, has more carbs than sugar, and is way sweeter than sugar. To get the
much touted health benefits of honey, you have to get raw honey, not the kind in the bear-shaped plastic bottle. If you want to use it, go ahead
but if you want a substitute try date paste. Mayo Clinic on Honey
Date Paste
Substituting honey for sugar in a recipe requires a liquidy Sweetner because honey is 1/4 liquid. Date Paste has some liquid, so I use it
as a substitute for honey. SinceI never tried a recipe with honey, I can't really claim 100% success, but I think it works.
Date Paste, cont.
If you just want it for this recipe:
Boil 6 oz Medjool dates. Reserve 1 cup of date water.
Blend dates and 1 cup of the date water in a blender and blend until smooth.
Keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks.
You can add more water if you want to simulate honey.
I have not tried freezing this.
#1 Substitute Apple Cider Vinegar for Rice Wine Vinegar.
Substitute Apple Juice or White Grape Juice for Rice Wine.
Japanese rice wine vinegar is 5% acid.
Apple Cider Vinegar is 5% acid.
I did find some Rice Wine Vinegar with no sugar by googling "Rice Wine Vinegar no sugar" but the manufacturer did not list ingredients.
Seasoned rice vinegar is simply rice vinegar that's been flavored with additional sugar and salt.
Date paste
Date Paste has some liquid, so can be used as a substitute for honey. Boil12 oz Medjool dates. Reserve 1 cup of date water.
Blend dates and 1 cup of the date water in a blender and blend until smooth.
Keeps in the fridge for 1 month.
Plum Sauce
11 prunes (for sweet)
3 dates
1 tblsp Sesame Oil
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (instead of Rice Wine Vinegar)
1 tsp Sea Salt
3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder
Bring to boil, then simmer for 20min. Blend in Blender
Hoisin Sauce is spicier than Plum Sauce, but very similar.
Main ingredient is fermented soy bean paste aka bean paste.
Of course, bean paste has sugar in it. You can get salted
fermented black beans without sugar.
Dashi:
2 (4-inch) square pieces kombu (dried kelp)
2 1/2 quarts water
2 cups (1/2 oz.) shaved bonito flakes or katsuobushi (dried bonito)
vegetarians can sub 6 or 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
Takes about 35 minutes
Dashi Instructions:
Wipe kombu with a clean damp towel (do not remove the flavorful white powder; only remove the sand).
0) (It is optional to soak kombu for 30 minutes)
1) In a 4-quart saucepan, add the water and the kombu...turn up burner to high.
Just before it boils, remove kombu.
Tiny bubbles will form but if you don't want to watch a pot, just use a thermometer with an alarm set to 150 degree F.
2) When water is boiling, add bonito flakes. Remove from heat and let the bonito flakes sink; steep for 2 minutes.
3) Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth. Be gentle, you can save the bonito flakes for another use.
Refrigerate. Use within 1 week or freeze for up to a month.
Oyster Sauce can be replaced by soy sauce (kinda)
and 1 tsp of natural sweetner (Monkfruit.)
Oyster Sauce
1/2 pound of shucked oysters (with liquid).
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
Pinch of Salt
Drain and mince oysters, keeping the liquid aside. Add one tablespoon of water to
the reserved liquid. Boil the mixture then simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat, add pinch of salt and let cool. Sieve the mixture into large measuring cup.
Add 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce for every half cup of the mixture.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce. Now boil the solution and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Refrigerate. Keeps for 3 weeks.
Hoisin
1 tablespoon Chinese fermented black beans, soaked in 2 teaspoons boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
Heat and put in Blender
1/8 tsp Xanthum Gum will thicken or simmering
for a long time.
Seasoned rice vinegar is simply rice vinegar that's been flavored with additional sugar and salt.
Takes about 35 minutes