My secret sauce discovery
22.1.2026
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Pictures: Stefanie Lechthaler
At first I was sceptical, but now the jars have their spot next to my plate at every meal. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about my new favourite sauces.
I enter my office. Two sauces are waiting on my desk, ready to be tested. A hand-drawn sketch of a bored face adorns both jars. At first, I’m sceptical. Another startup looking to slap a trend that’ll pass by tomorrow on my table.
But then I open a jar – and immerse myself in a new world of taste.
First, the spice,…
I start with the Spicy Tingly sauce, its packaging adorned by a panda. Why a panda? No idea. Odawaraya leaves it up to interpretation. Anyway, I just want to know what the Japanese sauce has to offer.
To do this, I swirl a spoon around the jar once to mix the contents, stirring up plenty of the sesame seeds that’ve sunk to the bottom. A good sign – I love sesame seeds. At the same time, another dark blob swirls around. I’m guessing that’s doubanjiang, a fermented chilli paste made from broad beans, which, according to the list of ingredients, makes up a large part of the sauce.
It smells like a combination of fresh herbs and spices. I associate the scent with a sweet and sour Szechuan soup. The oil is similar to what you’d find in classic chilli sauces. So, it could be spicy… That’s why I’m only nipping from the tip of my spoon for now. But contrary to expectations, my head doesn’t immediately turn bright red and there’s no smoke coming out of my ears. The spiciness is actually quite bearable.
The taste:
I wasn’t so wrong about Szechuan soup. The marinade-like sauce first spreads across my mouth with a wild mixture of ginger, chilli and sesame, covering all flavours: sweet, sour, salty and above all very savory (umami). It’s not just the consistency of the sauce that reminds me of the gravy I used to scoop out of the boat straight into my mouth with a spoon, but also the smoky, salty aroma. This is followed by a slight spiciness that lingers for a few minutes, depending on how much you use. The aftertaste provides a slight tingle of chilli and the taste of roasted sesame oil.
It knocked my socks off – I want this sauce on my table forever!
… then a garlicky surprise
I didn’t think it was possible that anything could beat the Tingly sauce. Only the spiciness stopped me from eating it all in one go. But then I opened the garlic chilli oil and the smell hit me… The smell of smoked garlic, reminding me of South-East Asian restaurants, but also of Zweifel paprika chips. Heavenly!
I inspect the little bits again, spotting small balls among the oil. That must be the roasted garlic and onion pieces. I’m not particularly keen on roasted onions really, but I’m going to try the sauce anyway. The first thing I notice is that, contrary to my expectations, the sauce is also very mild – suitable for sensitive mouths, then. I’m immediately hooked.
The taste:
Some nuances in the seasoning remind me of the first sauce. It’s probably the doubanjiang again. But the Crunch Oil has even more to offer. On the one hand, the crispy and slightly salty pieces of garlic and onion, which actually crunch when I bite into them, and the spices, which provide additional crispiness when I chew them.
Unlike the first sauce, this Garlic Crunch Oil is on the sweet, salty and savoury side right from the start. I can eat more of it, however, it’s not spicy. The taste of the sauce reminds me of that aroma you get whenever someone cooks garlic. The smell is even more savoury than the Tingly sauce. Here too, a mix of sesame oil, garlic and onion remains.
Source: Screenshot Galaxus
As Community member princssrisch writes in their review of the sauce, I’m also convinced I won’t get bad breath after consuming Crunch Oil. In the end, even after a few hours, I don’t notice the sulphurous garlic breath that usually haunts me for days after just one spoonful of tzatziki. My buddy disagrees.
My rather sensitive digestive system pipes up too: «Hey, those roasted garlic and onion pieces aren’t as strong as usual, but you still don’t have to overdo it.» Okay, fine…
… BUT I DON’T CARE!
How to pair each sauce
These sauces are almost always an upgrade. The only thing I’ve been rather cautious about so far is vegetables, although I can imagine the Tingly sauce going well with pak choi.
Otherwise, these sauces go well with meat, tofu and Asian dishes such as ramen, fried tempeh, fried rice or udon noodles. I particularly like them as a topping on a cracker with cream cheese and herbs. Even mozzarella came along for the flavour journey. Adding the sauces to crushed feta, mixed with a little olive oil, makes a delicious spread. In general, the sauces go perfectly with cheese. Raclette, anyone?
My go-to move is to season a hard-boiled egg (waxy yolk, of course) with a few drops of sauce. Sometimes I use Tingly, sometimes the garlic sauce, and sometimes I combine the two. Using Garlic Crunch, I’ve transformed hard bread into delicious garlic bread in no time at all. And a spoonful of Tingly sauce in a bouillon conjures a tasty and hearty hangover cure.
Already familiar with my new favourite sauces, or have you discovered a completely different condiment? Let us know in the comments.
Header image: Stefanie Lechthaler
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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