CHINESE HOISIN BARBECUE SAUCE (about 1 cup)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

3 tablespoons sake or dry sherry

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1.Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan and cook the garlic over moderately low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sake, ketchup and rice vinegar and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Let cool and serve.

from Steven Raichlen, Food and Wine Magazine, June, 2001