Keep XO Chunky

XO sauce is defined as much by its coarse texture as its flavour - visible lap cheong, plump dried shrimp, shredded conpoy, chilli, garlic and shallot, all bound in a slick of savoury oil. Blending it smooth to mimic a ketchup strips out that identity and leaves it tasting like a flat shrimp-paste relish. Render the lap cheong slowly, crisp the aromatics and soaked seafood at the edges, then season and leave it loose and chunky. If you want a smooth, sweet element on the plate, make it separately rather than pureeing the XO itself.