Green Onion Sauce

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This green onion sauce recipe is a great use of the odd leftover spring onion and Japanese scallion (aka “negi” or leek) during weekly fridge clean-outs. The green onion sauce is great on many types of meat such as grilled fish (pictured is a piece of cooked salted saba fish from Donki supermarket), cooked chicken & shrimps. You can also coat blanched noodles in this sauce, using it as if it is pesto. The sauce keeps well in the fridge for easily 2-3 weeks so it a handy home-made sauce to have in the fridge to jazz cooked food up a notch (even for store-bought food). 

See Also:

• Scallion Oil Sauce Recipe
• Scallion Oil Chicken Recipe
• Convenient Fish Salad in Scallion Sauce

I made a resolution to keep better track of the food inventory and minimize food wastage in 2022, so this is one recipe which shows how I use up leftovers in the fridge. 

GREEN ONION #1: SPRING ONION

These were my leftover chopped spring onions. There were still a lot left as I had been slow at using them. I had to use them for the sauce before they go past their prime. 

GREEN ONION #2: JAPANESE SCALLION/LEEK (NEGI)

I also had scraps of Japanese scallion in the fridge. What a waste to throw them, so I used them together with the spring onions. Both types of green onions are compatible in taste when making this sauce. Having said that, if you want a vibrant green sauce, use only spring onions or use more spring onions with respect to the scallions (such as ratio 3:1). For me, I’m not that bothered so long as I get to clear the fridge. I am using a half-half proportion when making this recipe. 

MAKE THE GREEN ONION SAUCE IN THE PAN

Making the sauce takes 5 minutes on the stove. First use low heat to heat up the oil (mixture of peanut/olive oil & pure sesame oil). Then stir in some finely chopped ginger, frying briefly until fragrant. Add the green onions and let them wilt slightly in the heat. Season the sauce with chicken seasoning powder and salt. The sauce is ready as it is, but sometimes when I am not that lazy, I will head on to the next step. 

PULSE THE GREEN SAUCE IN A BLENDER 

Pulsing the green sauce in a blender makes the colour more even, and easier to coat the foods (especially noodles). But this is optional. I have made variations of this green onion sauce (here and here) without blending. 

Also, if you don’t want to blend, it is preferable for the ginger to be grated rather than finely chopped. However, grating ginger can be time-consuming, so nowadays I’d rather save some time on the ginger and spend a bit more time to wash the blender which will take me only a minute. 

Just coat any food you have with the sauce and it is done! The green onion sauce keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.