Yuxiang is a seasoning mixture that is fundamental to many Chinese cuisines. The sauce probably originated in Sichuan province, and has since spread all over China. It is a mixture of minced pao la jiao (pickled chili), white scallion, ginger, and garlic, which are stir-fried to release their aromas, and then bound into a sauce with water, starch, sugar, and vinegar.
The word yuxiang translates literally as "fish fragrance", but the sauce has no trace of fish aroma, and is not usually applied to seafood; it is thought that the sauce was originally applied to fish but it is now most often used with beef, pork, chicken, and vegetable dishes. Often, dishes that use yuxiang sauce will have the name of the sauce in their name, as in yu xiang eggplant (yúxiāng qiézi), yu xiang shredded pork (yúxiāngròusī), and yúxiāngniúnǎn.