{"id":110398,"title":"Chinese Fermented Black Bean Sauce (\u8fa3\u8c46\u8c49\u9171)","modified":"2025-10-29T17:06:48+01:00","plain":"This authentic black bean sauce is one of the best\u2011kept secrets behind some of the most delicious Chinese dishes on the planet! It works miracles for the flavor of your Chinese cooking !\n\n\n\nIf you already know Chinese black bean sauce, you know the wonders it does for your Asian dishes.\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll be happy to know it\u2019s incredibly quick and easy to make (15 minutes). PLUS, it tastes even better than store-bought AND you know exactly what\u2019s in it\u2026\n\n\n\nIsn\u2019t it beautiful?\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve never used it before, you\u2019ve just uncovered a big secret for making some of the best Chinese dishes on the planet!\n\n\n\nOkay, that\u2019s the third time I\u2019ve said it and you probably think I\u2019m exaggerating, but fermented black beans are one of those ingredients that\u2019s obscure to us yet widely used in China, and they have a very, very bold flavor.\n\n\n\nWhat is black bean sauce?\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s start with the core ingredient: fermented black beans. No, these aren\u2019t your typical black beans, also called turtle beans, that you find in South American cooking. (Yes, I\u2019ve seen several well-intentioned recipes online calling for regular black beans. But no, it\u2019s absolutely not the same, and I\u2019m the first to try to offer you useful substitutes.)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThese black beans are actually black soybeans. These fermented black soybeans, called douchi in Chinese, are made by boiling the beans, then inoculating them with a special mold spore (usually Aspergillus oryzae) while they dry in the sun.\n\n\n\nThey\u2019re then usually stored dry or in brine. The same mold is used in miso and soy sauce, which are also fermented products.\n\n\n\nMixed into fried rice, it\u2019s to die for\n\n\n\nBecause their flavor is so assertive, fermented black beans are often paired with other bold ingredients\u2014most often garlic and chilies. They\u2019re most widely used to make Chinese black bean sauce, also called black bean paste or black bean-garlic sauce.\n\n\n\nBlack bean sauce is an important and popular ingredient in Chinese cuisine, particularly in Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine. It\u2019s as common an everyday condiment as ketchup is here.\n\n\n\nSavory, salty, and spicy with a touch of sweetness, black bean sauce adds an indescribable depth to Chinese cooking. Use it sparingly because its flavor is very potent.\n\n\n\nHow to use black bean sauce\n\n\n\nThe only limit is your imagination!\n\n\n\nSome popular ways to use it include:\n\n\n\n\nFried rice\n\n\n\nEggs and omelets\n\n\n\nFish, scallops, clams, and shrimp\n\n\n\nDishes featuring Chinese noodles\n\n\n\nChicken dishes\n\n\n\nBeef dishes\n\n\n\nAsian eggplant dishes\n\n\n\nBrushed on steamed pork ribs, grilled or roasted\n\n\n\nOn vegetables like bok choy or broccoli\n\n\n\nAsian-style coleslaw\n\n\n\n\nI love using it as the base for most stir-fries. Just choose your protein, add vegetables, and finish with black bean sauce.\n\n\n\nUse black bean sauce whenever you want to add a uniquely bold, delicious flavor to your dishes, with a touch of umami.\n\n\n\nHow to store black bean sauce\n\n\n\nStored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this delicious Chinese condiment will keep for at least two weeks. Some separation may occur; just stir it before using.\n\n\n\nIngredients for fermented black bean sauce\n\n\n\nShaoxing wine: a staple of Chinese cooking; it lends a distinct, aromatic flavor\n\n\n\nLight soy sauce: follow the link if you\u2019re unfamiliar\n\n\n\nSambal oelek: here\u2019s a homemade recipe\u2014it\u2019s quite spicy!\n\n\n\nRice vinegar: adds a bright, distinctly Asian tang\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tChinese Fermented Black Bean Sauce\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t3 tablespoons fermented black beans (If you prefer a stronger, saltier flavor, use more beans.)2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil2 tablespoons minced garlic2 tablespoons minced ginger2 green onions, thinly sliced120 ml vegetable or chicken broth2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine1 tablespoon light soy sauce1 teaspoon sugar0.5 teaspoon rice vinegar1 teaspoon sambal oelek (optional)For thickening1.5 teaspoons cornstarch1 tablespoon water\t\n\t\n\t\tSoak the beans in water for about an hour, then rinse and drain.Mash the fermented black beans with a fork and set aside.Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute or two until softened and very fragrant. Add the green onions and cook for another minute.Add the mashed beans and cook for another minute.Add all remaining ingredients except the cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry; stir it into the sauce and simmer for another minute, or until thickened.Let the black bean sauce cool, then store in an airtight container (preferably glass).\t\n\t\n\t\tKeeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.\nFor extra flavor (depending on how you plan to use it), add about 0.5 teaspoon of orange zest. Add it with the broth, then continue simmering.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tChinoiseDouchi, haricots noirs sal\u00e9s, Sauce aux haricots noirs ferment\u00e9s","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110398"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110589,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110398\/revisions\/110589"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}