13/08/2026
STANDARD STIR - FRY SAUCE PREP SOP
For All-Day Service
1. OBJECTIVE
Create one standardized base sauce for:
Stir-fried noodles
Seafood dishes
Stir-fried vegetables
The goal is to achieve:
Consistent flavor
Faster service
Stable quality
Less dependence on individual chef skills
2. PREPARE THE STOCK - MORNING PREP
Ingredients
Chicken bones: 2 kg
Pork bones: 1 kg (optional)
Crushed ginger: 100 g
Shallots: 100 g
Method
Blanch the bones and rinse thoroughly.
Add the bones, ginger, and shallots to a pot of water.
Simmer gently for 2–3 hours.
Strain carefully and keep the stock clear.
Yield: approximately 4–5 liters of stock.
3. PREPARE THE BASE SAUCE
Standard Formula - 1 Liter
Stock: 800 ml
Oyster sauce: 80 g
Light soy sauce: 40 ml
Sugar: 20 g
Salt: 10 g
MSG: 10 g
Cooking w**e: 20 ml
Sesame oil: 10 ml
White pepper: 2 g
Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are dissolved.
For food-service operations, prepare the sauce under hygienic conditions and keep it properly chilled. Avoid leaving the sauce at room temperature for extended periods.
4. BOTTLE & STORAGE
Transfer the sauce into 500 ml or 1-liter bottles.
Each bottle should be labeled with:
Preparation date
Preparation time
Staff initials, if required
Storage
Keep refrigerated at 2–5°C.
For best quality and food-safety control:
Prepare fresh daily and use within the same service day whenever possible.
5. CORNSTARCH SLURRY
Prepare separately. Do not mix the slurry into the base sauce in advance.
Ratio
1 part cornstarch : 2 parts water
Shake or stir well immediately before use.
6. STANDARD COOKING PROCEDURE
Basic Workflow
Heat the wok until very hot.
Add oil.
Add minced garlic and/or ginger.
Add the main ingredients.
Add the required amount of base sauce.
Toss quickly over high heat.
Add cornstarch slurry.
Turn off the heat.
Finish with a small amount of sesame oil if needed.
Target cooking time: 2–3 minutes per dish.
7. STANDARD SAUCE PORTIONS
DishBase SauceStir-fried vegetables40–50 mlStir-fried noodles60–80 mlSeafood70–90 ml
For maximum consistency, each dish should eventually be assigned one fixed standard portion rather than a wide range.
Example:
Standard stir-fried noodles = 70 ml sauce per portion.
8. ADDITIONAL PREP - RESTAURANT LEVEL
Scallion Oil
Heat oil and pour over chopped scallions.
Allow to cool before storage.
Adds a powerful layer of aroma to finished dishes.
Minced Garlic
Prepare fresh garlic in advance and store properly under refrigeration.
Helps reduce cooking time during busy service.
Julienned Ginger
Prepare separately and use mainly for seafood dishes.
9. COMMON PROBLEMS
Sauce becomes cloudy
Possible cause: cornstarch slurry added too early or excessive starch.
Sauce lacks shine
Possible causes:
Wok is not hot enough
Insufficient oil
Poor heat control
Sauce tastes weak
Possible cause:
Stock is too light
Sauce is over-diluted
Sauce is too salty
Possible cause:
Too much oyster sauce
Excessive soy sauce or salt
10. KITCHEN MANAGEMENT
One Bottle per Shift
Each station should use one designated sauce bottle at a time.
At the end of the shift, weigh the remaining sauce to monitor usage and waste.
Standardize the Ladle
Every cook must know exactly:
1 ladle = ___ ml
This is critical for maintaining consistent flavor and controlling food cost.
Sauce Usage Control
Actual sauce usage should be compared with theoretical usage:
Number of dishes sold × standard sauce portion = expected sauce consumption
Example:
50 noodle dishes × 70 ml = 3.5 liters
If the kitchen uses significantly more than 3.5 liters, portion control should be reviewed.
BONUS: SETUP FOR A 24 - TABLE RESTAURANT
Morning Prep
Prepare approximately:
3 - 4 liters of base sauce
Peak Service
Keep:
1 bottle in active use
1 bottle as backup
1 additional chilled reserve when necessary
Kitchen Line
1 wok chef
- Responsible for cooking and plating.
1 kitchen assistant
- Responsible for ingredients, sauce portions, and sending dishes to the line.
THE CORE PRINCIPLE
One recipe. One portion. One standard.
The goal is to make every dish taste consistent regardless of which cook is working the station.
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