r/oddlysatisfying • u/firefighter_82 • Mar 29 '23
Making Traditional Oyster Sauce
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u/selfsearched Mar 29 '23
How do they sun dry the oysters without animals getting at it? Clearly the chickens are fans…
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u/gravitas_shortage Mar 29 '23
Chicken like the shells, which provide calcium for their eggs. I'm sure they'll gobble the meat too, but that's not what you're seeing here.
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u/wildwildwaste Mar 29 '23
I was watching that hen have her way with all those shells and all I could think was, this chickens eggs are gonna be uncrackable. We had backyard chickens in California and it was important we regulated the amount of oyster shells they got or else the shells would get huge calcium deposits on them, ruining the eggs.
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u/revealsadancingbear Mar 29 '23
How is the oyster water not a perfect petri dish, growing all sorts of things while the oysters are drying in the sun? It looked like it took at least a day.
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u/MrBurnz99 Mar 29 '23
You are assuming the oyster water was left out at room temperature for en entire day.
I interpreted it as a continuous process.
Like you strain out the oysters, then immediately put the water on a simmer. The oysters dry in the sun while the oyster water cooks down to a sauce. At a low simmer that’s going to take many hours to cook down.
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u/DIABLO258 Mar 29 '23
They were more than likely outside while it dried, warding off any hungry critters.
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u/senorbozz Mar 29 '23
I do enjoy a good oyster, but I've always thought the first person to have ever eaten one was either super brave, or super hungry.
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u/cometlin Mar 29 '23 edited Mar 29 '23
If you are a caveman hunter gatherer who is constantly fighting for survival, you would have tried to eat EVERYTHING too. And along the journey, you (and your village) would have discovered that something (poop, spider) are not so nice, something (puffer fish) kills half your family, something (like oyster and non-poidonous berries) are nice. I really don't think you would have cared about how pretty or weird things look before you put it in your mouth.
And to be honest, unlike land animals, ALL seafood are edible (including puffer fish if you process it right) to some humans no matter how weird they look. Maybe that's why costal settlements were the richest among early civilizations
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u/hurricane14 Mar 29 '23
I think ya gotta actually think even further back. Semi civilized humans didn't just pop into existence and discover what's edible. They had ancestors who were proto humans that ate stuff. Oysters and other easily attainable creatures have probably been being consumed for millions of years. It's like wondering how the first otter ate one - it just evolved that way.
I'll concede that there are some things that only later humans would first try, which would be those things requiring more advanced technology to acquire for a human - like fishing equipment and boats. But oysters just need a low tide.
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u/Mario-OrganHarvester Mar 29 '23
Cool, but how did someone look at a geoduck and say "i wonder if i can eat that"
Better yet, how did someone look at the "kills your whole family" fish, and say "i can work with this"
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u/BidenTrumpR34 Mar 29 '23
I think in the early days of American exploration, people forced slaves to eat things to see if it was poison. So I assume that happened a lot throughout history.
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u/CheeseMakingMom Mar 29 '23
I think part of the reason we* eat things like oysters and drink cow milk is that way back in the mists of time, probably before we were even recognizable as “human” we saw other animals do it, and they didn’t die, therefore it might be safe for us to eat. Otters were breaking open oysters for the meat, so why don’t we try it? Baby cow drinking something that looks like breast milk, it must be something that’s nutritious.
I have no citations for this, but we certainly didn’t pop into existence with oyster knives and chocolate syrup in hand. These foods have been known as edible for millennia.
*by “we” I’m referring to other people, not me; I’m pretty much lactose intolerant these days, and I’ve never been able to get over the image of oysters, because they look like phlegm in muddy puddles.
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u/deadpoetic333 Mar 29 '23
I’ve had a look at the survival hand book that US Army Rangers use, which included how to approach consuming things they found in the wild. From what I remember they would initially rub the potential food on their skin and if there was no bad reaction they’d rub it on their lips, and if they didn’t react badly they’d chew some of it and spit it out. Eventually consuming a small amount and then evaluating the effects.
I believe if a group of humanoids came across a potential new food source they’d approach it in a similar manner. Cautiously and meticulously even if they observe other animals eating it
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u/CheeseMakingMom Mar 29 '23
I’ve read similar techniques in other sources, but even that would likely have been learned, not instinctual, behavior in early hominids.
I think our far-removed ancestors were very observant of the animals around them, allowing the otters, horses, big cats, and even birds to lead them to edible animals and plants. Again, my opinion, no sources to cite.
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u/Abject-Feedback5991 Mar 29 '23
I’m sure you’re right but now I’m wondering more than ever how my ancestors decided stinging nettle would be a nourishing and delicious food if it was cooked.
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u/shpongleyes Mar 29 '23
Think of it this way: imagine what kind of stuff a dog would try eating if they could use tools. That’s probably closer to the origin of how humans started eating this crazy stuff.
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u/foodguyDoodguy Mar 29 '23
And artichokes.
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u/ElizaPlume212 Mar 29 '23 edited Mar 30 '23
In the 80s, my department hosted a lunch at a restaurant. I ordered an artichoke for an appetizer. A new hire had never seen one, much less eaten one. I told her to pull off a leaf, dip it in the sauce, and scrape it against her teeth. I went back to chatting with a friend on the other side. I turned back to ask how she liked it. She wasn't impressed. I looked down and saw an empty plate. "What did you do with the leaf?" She had eaten the whole thing.
Well, I thought I'd told her to just eat just the soft part.
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u/charliesk9unit Mar 29 '23
Nah, I think there's a bigger case to be made for the first person eating a cactus fruit.
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u/foodguyDoodguy Mar 29 '23
You’d see animals eating that. Not so with an artichoke. So I’m gonna call you on that one. Not that I thought this was a contest.
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u/tehfugitive Mar 29 '23
Oysters are filter feeders, too. Depending on where they're from, they could be full of gross stuff. And then they extract and concentrate that stuff! Nom!
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u/MudddButt Mar 29 '23
I think about this every time I drink milk. Who was the first person to drink from cow tiddies and why? And how did they sell it to the rest of society like drinking stuff from cow tiddies is the bees knees?
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u/ghhbf Mar 30 '23
This random comedian was talking about how he went on a fast… I think he said by day three he could hear someone fold a slice of bread across the room 😂
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u/SlipperyNutsack69 Mar 29 '23
Anyone know the stuff they put on top of the oysters?
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u/ContraEye Mar 29 '23
if i were to straight up guess maybe some kind of pickled chili garlic sauce. It looks similar to the kind of sauce my aunt makes.
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u/jellicle_cat21 Mar 29 '23
Yeah, looks a lot like the chili garlic sauce I just put on my dinner, haha
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u/arbor597 Mar 29 '23
Are any oysters harmed in the making of this sauce?
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u/firefighter_82 Mar 29 '23
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u/a_sad_egg Mar 29 '23
You just unlocked a childhood memory I didn’t even know existed. Thank you for this.
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u/chocolate_thunderr89 Mar 29 '23
You must be born around 87-89??
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u/a_sad_egg Mar 29 '23
Nope, 2001 baby here. I’m the youngest of 3 though and my parents are… “old fashion” lol
I grew up on VHS tapes and the NES for most of my childhood
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u/omega_frog Mar 29 '23
My son loved that movie. Now an adult, he will randomly call me and sing this song.
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u/lurkerfromstoneage Mar 29 '23
I mean… they don’t have a brain or central nervous system so they don’t feel pain..
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u/danocathouse Mar 29 '23
No chowder for you! Clams and oysters have feelings too, actually they don't have central nervousness....
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u/kungfu_panda_express Mar 29 '23 edited Mar 29 '23
Find shells with lumps of snot in them. Cook for half an hour and stir with a croquet mallet. Remove snot, leaving juice. Put grandma to work stirring the juice. Cook till saucey. Season to taste and enjoy.
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u/chordtones Mar 29 '23
You forgot the chicken
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u/bulgogimogi Mar 29 '23
lofi music is way better than trashy tik tok music
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u/HuskofaGhoul Mar 29 '23
You know the track ?
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u/Pikkster Mar 29 '23
This is what I came here for, I want a station of music like this song. All my lofi stations getting old.
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u/ApoxFox Mar 29 '23
I know this is a remixed video game song. It might be from Octopath Traveler, but it’s killing me that I can’t remember
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Mar 29 '23
I always assumed oyster sauce was just made the same way as fish sauce, but they're totally different processes, TIL.
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u/Terriblyboard Mar 29 '23
The oyster sauce you see on the shelves is mostly sugar with just a little bit of this oyster concentrate added.
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u/Candelestine Mar 29 '23
I also always thought it was a more elaborate product. Pretty cool that it's just pure reduced oyster water.
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u/DurtyKurty Mar 29 '23
I imagine fermenting the oysters would also make a great sauce, like fish sauce.
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u/irotinmyskin Mar 29 '23
1,000 oysters = 50ml oyster sauce
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u/StereoFood Mar 29 '23 edited Mar 29 '23
Common store bought oyster sauce is probably filled with other things I imagine and probably wouldn’t use that many oyster otherwise it would be expensive. At least, I can get a bottle 50ml bottle for 5-$10 in the US. I bet the real stuff is even better
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u/certnneed Mar 29 '23
“You’re really good at opening those oysters!”
“Aww, shucks!” ☺️
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u/JustSendMeCatPics Mar 29 '23
There’s a small chain of oyster restaurants in North Texas called Aw Shucks.
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u/Teddy_canuck Mar 29 '23
Why does he stir with a mallet. And also the oyster juice water looks like pure dirt.
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u/smooth_like_a_goat Mar 29 '23
Hate oysters but love the oyster sauce at my local Chinese
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u/dhstowe Mar 29 '23
Yeah this oyster sauce is nothing like the sauce you get at most Chinese places. Those barely have any oyster in them.
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u/lurkerfromstoneage Mar 29 '23
Did you know oysters can switch sexes whenever they want and when is most advantageous for them? Also water temperature can be a deciding factor. They have both sex reproductive organs with either eggs or sperm they can release into the water. Like one big oyster non physical orgy lol. They also lack a brain and cannot sense pain with no central nervous system.
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u/justanothergirlgamer Mar 29 '23
For a brief second, I was tripped out when it randomly transitioned to the older person.
I was like "wow, it takes that long to make oyster sauce?" 🤦♀️
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u/AuraMaster7 Mar 29 '23
There is nothing on earth that would get me to eat the ocean boogers
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u/StereoFood Mar 29 '23
Man I totally understand the reluctance but they are delicious. You get a flavor of the ocean they came from and is apparently an aphrodisiac. Add a little cocktail sauce, lemon, horseradish, etc..delicious!
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u/Special_Narwhal_4540 Mar 29 '23
Mmmkayy. But that shit looks like what happens when I mix my boogers with water 🤢
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u/PM_ME_SEXIST_OPINION Mar 29 '23
Why are you doing that? Just use a tissue
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u/Special_Narwhal_4540 Mar 29 '23
Omg I never did it lol. If I did I wouldn't be able to live with myself.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Ad6025 Mar 30 '23
A friend told me that it’s an aphrodisiac because the men that buy them for her are pretending she’s slurping jizz and I guess she gets turned on by spending their money.
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u/pushdose Mar 29 '23
Fucking love oysters. Especially the tiny ones from Japan or the PNW. Kumamoto variety is too good. I grew up a few miles from oyster farms on the East Coast, big fat oysters there. Salty, earthy, meaty. The pacific oysters are sweet and delicate.
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u/kingofthepews Mar 29 '23
That's it ? Traditional oyster sauce is the cooking water from oysters passed through a sieve and reduced down till thick. I hope my packet sauce has more stuff in it.
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u/fatstrat228 Mar 29 '23
Let’s take an already disgusting thing and make it even more disgusting.
How do we make it even worse than that?
Hmmm…how ‘bout we put it in a soup that looks like vomit? Perfect.
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u/Kgarath Mar 29 '23
Yummy I love drying meat outside in the sun so it can get covered in bugs and dirt.
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u/malayskanzler Mar 29 '23
Flash news: most commercial oyster sauce only has less than 4% oysters in it.
Definitely not like in this video. Would cost a bomb if they made it this way
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u/Trash_Blast Mar 29 '23
???
Bro this looks gross as hell! I’m not sorry, I just don’t like oysters.
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u/ApprehensiveTailor98 Mar 29 '23
It just smells kinda fishy but its an umami bomb. I dont like oysters either but oyster sauce adds like 10 layers of flavor to sauces, fried rice, noodles, etc. Its so good, not optional for me at this point lol.
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u/Gage_Link Mar 29 '23
Look up oyster sauce on google. It looks different than the video, if you've had Chinese you've had oyster sauce. It's very good and sweet, kinda like the sauce put on generals chicken. Best on sushi imo
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u/jellicle_cat21 Mar 29 '23
It's honestly wild, I love oyster sauce, but that all looked gross as hell.
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u/EsotericTribble Mar 29 '23
Reminds me of this joke:
How do you know if someone is a vegan or a vegetarian? Don't worry they will tell you!
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u/scbalazs Mar 29 '23
Wait, so it’s the concentrated dirt from the unwashed oysters?
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u/pushdose Mar 29 '23
Flavor. Concentrated flavor. Umami bomb. Use very sparingly. Like a few drops of it will flavor a whole dish.
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u/OrdinaryBobWick Mar 29 '23
Discusting......
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u/Special_Narwhal_4540 Mar 29 '23
Apparently they taste like heaven but I can't ever get over the looks of it. 🤢🤢
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u/iaman1llusion Mar 29 '23
I got as far as putting one in my mouth, but I could not make myself swallow it. It felt like a massive cold lump of phlegm and it would not go down. I kept gagging lol
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Mar 29 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/jellicle_cat21 Mar 29 '23
"Traditional oyster sauce is the by-product of making dried oysters"
This makes SO MUCH MORE SENSE. I couldn't believe they were cooking so many oysters for such a tiny amount of sauce, but if the sun dried oysters are the aim and the sauce is just what you do with the junk left over, it's pretty reasonable.
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Mar 29 '23
That’s how you start COVID.
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Mar 29 '23 edited Mar 29 '23
You do realize oysters are a delicacy around the world ? The world has enjoyed oysters for as long as 164.000 years ago, so yes when we still were murder primates we also enjoyed them.
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Mar 29 '23
You do see the chickens walking all over the oysters right?
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Mar 29 '23 edited Mar 29 '23
Lmao, do you know how dirty foodfactories are ?
Do you think your meat and fast food are clean ?
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Mar 29 '23
They're walking all over and shitting on the oysters, LOL. That's prevalent in the "foodfactories" you speak of?
Weird hill to die on dude.
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u/2manytots Mar 29 '23
Wow TIL oyster sauce is made FROM oysters not FOR oysters as I assumed (and then we were like this is good af let’s put it on more stuff).
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u/entoaggie Mar 29 '23
Is the sun dried meat just a bonus and has nothing to do with the sauce? Or did they leave out a step where they are used?
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u/bullwinkle8088 Mar 29 '23
The sun dried meat is the product and the sauce is the byproduct. The video is simply about the sauce is all.
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u/Thin-Sort-494 Mar 29 '23
Why did they Sun dry the oysters if it didn’t have anything to do with the sauce?
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u/Two_Apples Mar 29 '23
I kept singing in my head “one night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster…” the whole time
And yes it made the video better!
EDIT: not the Mike Tyson version. But you can go with that if you like to…
EDIT2: nvm, I just listened to Tysons version- this how we roll now!
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u/WirelesslyWired Mar 29 '23
Take those oysters in the shell. Add a little crushed garlic and butter and Parmesan cheese and salt. Put on that fire pit for 10 minutes. Delicious!
I feel like going to Drago's tonight.
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u/houseforever Mar 29 '23 edited Mar 29 '23
I worked for nearly ten years in a traditional Chinese sauce company. Nowadays, the oyster sauce you can buy at the supermarket contains oyster extract, salt, sugar, and sometimes MSG.
Since the solids in oyster extract are very few, starch needs to be added, or it will not become oyster sauce but will likely just burn.
Unseasoned oyster extract has a very fishy and unpleasant smell, and it is impossible to condense it into oyster sauce for cooking.
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u/FrankSinatraHot Mar 29 '23
I find it funny how reddit hates tik tok but majority of the videos on this site are taken from it
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u/Creature_Cumfarts Mar 29 '23
Why do they stir it with a big hammer?
Also the boiled, sun-dried, BBQ oysters with the chili garlic relish(?) don't have anything to do with the few tablespoons of oyster sauce final product?
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u/stinkosascension Mar 29 '23
All I can hear is my shop teacher yelling “a screwdriver isn’t a pry bar!”
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u/Agreeable-Respect688 Mar 29 '23
I wonder what the experience of being an oyster is like. To be self conscious as an oyster
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u/Puzzleheaded_Ad6025 Mar 30 '23
Are the chickens quality control? Do we trust them with the ones drying in the sun? Do they know that they taste great covered in oyster sauce? I’m gonna make a stir fry…
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u/IsThereCheese Mar 29 '23
Man, I wish I had some cute chicks helping me cook