A luxury relish of dried scallop, dried shrimp and cured ham fried slowly in oil with chilli, garlic and shallot — savoury, seafood-rich and mildly hot. Named for XO cognac, for the sense of luxury; there's none in it.
Chinese grocers in jars, and from Hong Kong restaurants, which make the best. Homemade beats most bought.
A little history
Created in Hong Kong in the 1980s; several hotel restaurants claim it.
Worth knowing
Stir it into fried turnip cake, egg noodles, green beans or fried rice at the end — the dried seafood scorches if it goes in early. To make it, fry the shredded, soaked dried seafood and ham low and slow until deep gold.