Before you dive into cooking, make sure you have everything on hand. This prevents interruptions and ensures smooth sailing when the creativity flows!

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark brown sugar, rice vinegar, and mirin. It’s essential to mix these first. They create the sweet and salty base of your sauce.

Next, add the toasted sesame oil, oyster sauce, honey, and filtered water. Continue whisking until everything is well combined. Feel free to taste at this stage—if you prefer it sweeter, add a little more honey!

Slowly fold in the freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and chili garlic sauce. Stir until all ingredients are harmoniously blended.

Allow the sauce to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This step is crucial; it lets the flavors meld and develop deeper characteristics.

You’re now ready to use this sauce! If you plan to save it, pour it into an airtight container once it’s cooled completely.