Chef Sang Yoon’s years-long obsession with XO sauce

Chef Sang Yoon uses 15 ingredients to create his interpretation of Hong Kong’s famous XO sauce.   (Mariah Tauger / For The Times )

Dried scallops are just one of 15 ingredients that chef Sang Yoon uses to create his current version of XO sauce.

Shallots, Japanese dried chiles and garlic are among the ingredients that chef Sang Yoon currently uses to create his Hong Kong XO sauce, though he keeps experimenting.

Ginger is now in chef Sang Yoon’s XO sauce recipe; Virginia ham, Muscovado sugar, palm sugar, prosciutto and ghee have all been tried.

Ingredients lined up as chef Sang Yoon makes XO sauce.

Chef Sang Yoon’s current iteration of 15 ingredients for the Hong Kong XO sauce.   (Mariah Tauger / For The Times )

Lukshon sous chef Matt Yuen blends some of the 15 ingredients called for in chef Sang Yoon’s XO sauce.

Chef Sang Yoon demonstrates the process to prepare XO sauce.