Oyster sauce

Now don't get turned off by the name. If I used it you wouldn't know it came from oysters. Oyster sauce is the ketchup of the Far East. It's used in practically every dish.
As a matter of fact, a gentleman by the name of Lee Kum Kee, created oyster sauce by accident and since then, its an integral part of Asian Cuisine. It's the base sauce of mostly all dishes.
You probably had it and you didn't know it. Beef and Chicken with Broccoli. Today, all Asian establishments say its "Brown Sauce". For those with high blood pressure "Everything in Moderation" applies here because the sodium content is like over 1,000 mg. You only need a little to bring out the flavor of any dish but we're so used to eating with a lot of sodium in our diet, no one expects it to be salty.
At the Supermarket, along the Asian aisle, you may see oyster sauce. Check the label because it may be just caramel coloring, a thickening agent and lots of salt. You don't want this. If it says oyster extract, its the one you want. Unfortunately the Lee Kum Kee Brand may not be in the Asian aisle of your local supermarket but definitely can be found in an Asian market.