Yum Yum Sauce

Add the mayonnaise to a medium mixing bowl and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes if it was refrigerated. This helps all the ingredients blend more smoothly and prevents separation.

Whisk in the tomato paste and sugar until the mixture turns a uniform pale pink color with no streaks remaining. The sugar dissolves quickly and balances the acidity of the tomato paste perfectly.

Add the garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper if using, then whisk for 30 seconds to distribute the spices evenly throughout the sauce. These dry ingredients need thorough mixing to prevent clumping.

Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking constantly to emulsify it into the sauce. This creates the signature silky texture that makes restaurant yum yum sauce so irresistible.

Add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk until the sauce reaches a pourable consistency that still coats the back of a spoon. Add more water 1 teaspoon at a time if you prefer a thinner drizzling consistency.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning by adding more sugar for sweetness, a pinch of salt for balance, or a squeeze of rice vinegar for extra tanginess. Every batch can vary slightly based on your mayonnaise brand.