Sauce

Glutinous rice flour, also known as mochiko or sweet rice flour, makes an excellent gluten-free gravy for Thanksgiving or any holiday feast. Like wheat flour, mochiko can be toasted in fat to create a roux, which lends the finished gravy robust flavor that other starches, like cornstarch, just can’t match. This gravy also has a silky texture and great body like any gravy should. Here miso and apple cider vinegar extend the flavor, making it both brighter and more savory. Start by adding half the!…

Like regular fish sauce, this vegan version packs a subtle umami punch—but a little goes a long way.

This peanut sauce recipe is based on my mom's version, which accompanies Gado Gado. Raw peanuts are roasted on the stovetop or in the oven, and then ground. You'll also have to hunt down tamarind pulp and lime leaves, but it's worth the trouble—the addition of freshly roasted peanuts and fragrant herbs makes for unsurpassed flavor.

The underlying notes of vanilla and nutmeg—found in Coca-Cola—are layered with piquant aromatics and tangy tomato ketchup to produce a barbecue sauce that's remarkably dynamic. 

This barbecue sauce recipe combines bright ginger and sharp Dijon mustard.

Béchamel, a cream sauce bound by a roux of flour and butter, holds up well in the freezer, maintaining the same gooey, melty texture that the freezer too often destroys in other dairy. It’s pivotal for casseroles, such as lasagna (page 126) or the green bean dish (page 125) that falls on so many Thanksgiving menus. It’s the halfway point to sausage gravy (page 122) or cheese sauce. Long story short, béchamel helps bridge the gap when thinking about foods that freeze well. Just like duct tape, you should never be without it.

Peanut butter tames the heat in this mild puréed salsa with serrano chiles and onions. Spoon it over mushroom tacos or use it as a dip for chips.

For dense hand-pulled noodles, you’re going to want the sauce to be saltier and spicier, balancing out the thick wheat noodles with extra aromatics for depth of flavor.