Bachan's Has 2 New Dipping Sauces, and I Tried Them First

They hit shelves at Whole Foods on August 21.

Several years ago a coworker brought a bottle of Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce to work and stashed it in the fridge door. That was her first mistake.

Over the next couple of weeks, the bottle gradually emptied as co-workers took curious first tastes that turned into generous drizzles on sad leftovers and bland takeout. I wish I could say that I wasn’t one of the offenders; that I respectfully left the bottle untouched. Reader, I am not that strong (it’s OK—we’re still on good terms).

However, after a couple of demure tastes, I knew I couldn’t keep mooching off the communal bottle. I had to have Bachan’s in my own fridge. And now, after releasing a steady stream of new flavors over the years, the brand is branching out into the dipping sauce space (though I’m feeling very ahead of the curve by using the original Bachan’s as a dipping sauce already).

The two new dipping sauces have that characteristic, irresistible Bachan’s flavor—a little sweet, a little tangy, and generous on the umami—but with an added flavor note: sesame. The consistency of these sauces is thicker than the brand’s barbecue sauce thanks to the addition of sesame paste (neri goma), which adds body as well as flavor.

The new dipping sauces are available exclusively at Whole Foods starting August 21. Each 16-ounce bottle retails for $9.99.

The sauces are available in original and sweet and spicy versions, and I am happy to report that the spicy flavor is actually spicy! It’s seasoned with red habanero purée, which gives it a pleasant, short-lived heat that doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the sauce (or the food you dip in it).

So far, I’ve sampled these sauces with savory kimchi pancakes, raw cucumbers, potstickers, and even cold leftover pizza, and I’m happy to report that pretty much everything is improved by a dip in them, including (probably) a cardboard box.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.