butter browned can get nearly black. are you sure there isn't a
   little sugar in there? Carmelized sugar can get black. Or do i
   see beans in there? black bean sauce is black. Also, soy sauce
   and other chinese sauces can blacken things. Or plain ol' food
   coloring, but that's just cheating. Squid juice, but that's
   getting as ridiculous as crisco. "