Do you know how many sauces there are that are based on or include ginger? Many. Many, many. Here are a few recipes. You'll have to decide for yourself which is best.

Ginger Butter Sauce From Bon Appétit, December 1996, from the Deer Valley Seafood Buffet; Park City, Utah.

Works well with fish.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry white wine 1/3 cup chopped shallots 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger 1/2 cup whipping cream

Instructions:

Combine wine, shallots and ginger in heavy small saucepan over high heat. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Add cream and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Ginger, Miso and Cilantro Sauce From Bon Appétit, April 1998.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 tsp oriental sesame oil 1/2 cup minced shallots 1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger 1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 3 Tbsp rice vinegar 2 Tbsp yellow miso (fermented soybean paste)* or soy sauce 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

*Available at Japanese markets and specialty foods stores and in the Asian foods sections of some supermarkets.

Instructions:

Heat oil in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and ginger and sauté 2 minutes. Add broth, orange juice concentrate and vinegar. Boil until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Stir in miso and cilantro. Simmer 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Yield: Makes 3/4 cup.

Ginger and Scallion Sauce From Epicurious, from Michael Tong, Shun Lee Palace, New York.

Works well with chicken.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sesame oil 6 Tbsp peanut, vegetable, or corn oil 1/4 cup finely shredded fresh ginger 3 scallions, green part included, trimmed and cut into fine strips, 4 inches long 2 Tbsp light soy sauce 2 tsp sugar 1 Tbsp dry sherry or shao hsing wine 1/2 tsp monosodium glutamate (optional)

Instructions:

Heat the peanut, vegetable, or corn oil in a small saucepan, and when it is hot add the ginger and scallions. Cook about 30 seconds; remove ginger and scallions with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan. Add the remain ingredients to the oil, bring to a boil. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: Makes 4 servings.

Ginger Sauce From Thai Home Cooking, by William Crawford & Kamolmal Pootaraksa.

This thick, dark, rich & spicy sauce goes well with as a dipping sauce with bland foods such as tofu.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped 2 Tbsp brown bean paste 1/4 cup ginger, finely chopped 1 Serrano chili, stemmed & finely chopped 2 Tbsp white vinegar 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp soy sauce 3 cilantro sprigs, chopped

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Use immediately or at least within 6 hours of preparation, as the flavors will get stronger the longer the sauce sits.