Yum Yum Sauce

There is this heavenly dipping sauce that they have at most Japanese restaurants. I've heard it called shrimp sauce, white sauce, seafood sauce, but at our favorite take-out Japanese restaurant in Lynchburg, Virginia {Osaka's}, they call it "yum yum sauce" and it lives up to its name! We drown our rice/chicken/ice cream {not really...though it might be worth a try!} in this delicious sauce. Unfortunately, since moving to the Philadelphia suburbs, we've found a few sauces that have tasted similar, but none that have really compared with the incredible, zingy favor. So, I've scoured the internet in hopes of finding a similar recipe that can fill the void. Here is a recipe that seems like it might actually come close:

Japanese White Sauce

1-1/4 cup	Hellmann's mayonnaise *
1/4 cup	water
1 teaspoon	tomato paste
1 tablespoon	melted butter
1/2 teaspoon	garlic powder
1 teaspoon	sugar
1/4 teaspoon	paprika
dash	cayenne pepper

Using a fork or a whisk, blend all ingredients together thoroughly until well mixed and the sauce is smooth. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The sauce will NOT taste right if you don't let it sit overnight. And please don't try to substitute ketchup for the tomato paste! The water is needed to bring this to the right consistency. 

I don't know how long this keeps in the refrigerator; I've kept it 7-10 days, but I always wind up eating it all before 10 days so after that - anyone's guess.

* Hellmann's is called "Best Foods" west of the Rockie Mountains. Use other mayos at your peril - many cheap brands make the sauce taste too much like mayo. 



http://www.japanese-steakhouse-white-sauce.com/white-sauce-recipe.htm

I love that you HAVE to use Hellmann's mayo. You know I'm a condiments label snob. ;)

This pic was taken on our last trip to Osaka's. Do you like his fake smile? This was probably the 85th picture I'd taken that day, so I can't say that I blame him. ;)

Are there any must-have foods/sauces/drinks that you can only find in one place? Have you ever attempted to make it yourself? If so, how did it turn out?