Named for the Cantonese word for “seafood,” hoisin sauce gets its moniker not by virtue of containing seafood as an ingredient (it traditionally contains no animal-derived products, sea-based or not), nor by being specifically designed for serving with seafood (although it is, indeed, great with fish.) Rather, its title comes from the fact that its rich aromas and umami undertones evoke an ineffable, subtly seafood-y quality that’s celebrated in Szechuan cuisine. To that, we’d also add that a great hoisin sauce, like Trader Joe’s Hoisin Sauce, also expresses a certain sticky sweetness, savory character, and velvety texture that make it one of the more versatile condiments you’ll ever find.

Made for us by a supplier in Thailand, who starts with a base of fermented soy bean paste, black sesame paste, and brown sugar, each batch of our full-flavored Hoisin Sauce is seasoned with a blend of aromatic spices like star anise, garlic powder, coriander seed, and Szechuan peppercorns. You may have had hoisin with roast duck, spring rolls, and noodle soups before—all excellent pairings, but that’s hardly where we’d stop. We recommend drizzling our Hoisin over stir-fried vegetables, fried rice, bánh mì sandwiches, burgers, barbecued ribs, grilled shrimp or salmon, or even just using it as a sweet and savory dip for Fries.