Hoisin sauce

Hoisin sauce is a thick, fragrant sauce originating from China. It features in many Chinese cuisines, but is most prominent in Cantonese cuisine. It can be used as a glaze for meat, an addition to stir fry, or as dipping sauce. It is dark-coloured, sweet and salty. Although regional variants exist, hoisin sauce usually includes soybeans, fennel, red chili peppers, and garlic. Vinegar, five-spice powder, and sugar are also commonly added. The word hoisin is derived from the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese words for "seafood" , although the sauce does not contain any seafood ingredients and is not commonly consumed with seafood. The reason for the name is "seafood flavour", a common adjective in Chinese cuisine, especially Sichuanese ("fish fragrant"). The key ingredient of hoisin sauce is fermented soybean paste.

Source: Wikipedia