Living in South Africa, black bean sauce is not something that you get. Thankfully there is a Chinese market not so far away so I can at least buy fermented black beans to start my sauce (but they are expensive). Speckled beans are the common variety in South Africa so I tend to buy those then use some of the proper black beans to make a starter culture for fermenting the speckled beans (see below for instructions).
Fermented black beans, known as dòu chǐ (豆豉) in Chinese aren't black beans at all. Instead they're just soybeans that are fermented and then cured in heavily salinated water before being dried.
To ferment the beans, you have to start with dry beans which are thoroughly washed and then soaked over night before either boil or steam them until just tender. They are then mashed to remove the skins so the bacterial culture can get to work.
The boiled beans are transferred to shallow bamboo baskets, set out in the sun for 30 minutes to remove the excess water before being coated in toasted wheat flour.
The innoculum is typically a three day old culture of rice bran in which the mould, Aspergillus oryzae (a wild fungus growing oon rice, and the same fungus that part-digests rice to make sake) has been growing. The Aspergillus culture is typically added at the ratio of 1 tsp per 3kg beans.
The combination is mixed thoroughly then covered with cheesecloth and set aside in a clean, damp, place to matur for 3–4 days. By that time it should be completely covered in yellowish-green mould.
At this point, the bean and Aspergillus mixture is transferred to a jar and topped up with 22% salt solution (the brine) before the lid is screwed down tight to exclude air. Set aside in a warm place.
Gas will build up as the beans ferment, check the lids and when they start bulging carefully release the gas pressure and re-seal. They will be done in 3–4 days. At this point, drain the beans but do not rinse, place back in the bamboo baskets and sun dry.
The dried beans will keep for weeks, and will keep even further if you freeze them. If you buy black beans, they will contain some Aspergillus oryzae. You can add a teaspoon of bought beans to your brine to generate a starter culture.
If you can't find dried soybeans you can substitute your favourite bean. If you can't get Aspergillus oryzae culture, you you can prepare them with with whey culture (available form healthfood stores) or you can use the brine from lacto-fermented vegetables such as sourkraut. In this case make a weaker brine, about 3 tbsp per litre (1 quart) water. Ensure that the beans are completely covered in brine and starter culture and ferment for about 1 week. Using this method, as the beans have not been heavily salted store the brine solution in the refrigerator and remove the beans as needed.
Once you have your black beans, either made at home or purchased in an Asian supermarket or grocery you can start on your black bean sauce. There are two main types, either black bean garlic sauce or spicy black bean sauce (with chillies).
Now I have my black beans, either store bought or prepared from speckled beans using a few left-over black beans to create a starter culture I can make my black bean sauce.
6 tbsp oil (groundnut oil if available)
6 dried cayenne chillies
2 tbsp garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
3 shallots, finely chopped
120ml (1/2 cup) meat or vegetable stock
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine vinegar (or substitute dry sherry)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp muscovado sugar (any dark sugar will work)
1/2 tsp rice vinegar (or use cider vinegar)
Place the beans and chillies in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and set aside to soak for at least an hour (this removes excess salt from the beans and helps to soften them).
Drain the beans, pat dry then chop finely. Keep about 1 tbsp of the chopped beans to add texture then place the remainder in a bowl and mash them.
Heat the oil in a small pan over low heat then add the chillies and fry for about 3–4 minutes or until aromatic and softening. Drain the chillies with a slotted spoon and set aside then add shallot and fry gently for 4 minutes before adding the garlic and ginger. Fry for about 3 minutes more, until aromatic then add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
At this point add the beans, finely chop the chillies and add these to the other ingredients. Continue cooking the ingredients slowly for about 10 minutes (reduce the heat if the shallot is colouring too fast).
Now stir in all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for about 12 minutes, or until the volume of stock has reduced by half.
If, at this stage, the sauce has not thickened sufficiently for your liking stir 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) into 1 tbsp water and add to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for a few seconds, until thickened.
If you like your black bean sauce smooth, then use a stick blender to blend the ingredients before you add the cornflour to thicken.
Take off the heat and whilst still warm pour into an air-tight container. Don't worry if the oil separates and forms a layer on top of the bean sauce, this is a good thing as it will help preserve the sauce. Allow to cool completely and store in the refrigerator (it will keep for at least 4 months).
This recipe has more oil than some others on the internet, but this makes a significant difference in how long the sauce keeps.
Note that the chillies added to the sauce will not make the sauce hot, they just add a subtle fruity note. If you really want your sauce spice add 1 or 2 fresh Scotch bonnet chillies to the ingredients above. I don't do that myself, as I often add this to African dishes which have plenty of fresh chillies in them already.
However, as I am a great fan of Chiese cookery and my wife loves the umami flavour from the beans even in African cookery the quantity above does not last long in my house, which is why I ferment my own beans now.
This black bean sauce is a key ingredient in this site's recipes for:
Rice Sticks with Beef in Black Bean Sauce Recipe
Fermented black beans, known as dòu chǐ (豆豉) in Chinese aren't black beans at all. Instead they're just soybeans that are fermented and then cured in heavily salinated water before being dried.
To ferment the beans, you have to start with dry beans which are thoroughly washed and then soaked over night before either boil or steam them until just tender. They are then mashed to remove the skins so the bacterial culture can get to work.
The boiled beans are transferred to shallow bamboo baskets, set out in the sun for 30 minutes to remove the excess water before being coated in toasted wheat flour.
The innoculum is typically a three day old culture of rice bran in which the mould, Aspergillus oryzae (a wild fungus growing oon rice, and the same fungus that part-digests rice to make sake) has been growing. The Aspergillus culture is typically added at the ratio of 1 tsp per 3kg beans.
The combination is mixed thoroughly then covered with cheesecloth and set aside in a clean, damp, place to matur for 3–4 days. By that time it should be completely covered in yellowish-green mould.
At this point, the bean and Aspergillus mixture is transferred to a jar and topped up with 22% salt solution (the brine) before the lid is screwed down tight to exclude air. Set aside in a warm place.
Gas will build up as the beans ferment, check the lids and when they start bulging carefully release the gas pressure and re-seal. They will be done in 3–4 days. At this point, drain the beans but do not rinse, place back in the bamboo baskets and sun dry.
The dried beans will keep for weeks, and will keep even further if you freeze them. If you buy black beans, they will contain some Aspergillus oryzae. You can add a teaspoon of bought beans to your brine to generate a starter culture.
If you can't find dried soybeans you can substitute your favourite bean. If you can't get Aspergillus oryzae culture, you you can prepare them with with whey culture (available form healthfood stores) or you can use the brine from lacto-fermented vegetables such as sourkraut. In this case make a weaker brine, about 3 tbsp per litre (1 quart) water. Ensure that the beans are completely covered in brine and starter culture and ferment for about 1 week. Using this method, as the beans have not been heavily salted store the brine solution in the refrigerator and remove the beans as needed.
Once you have your black beans, either made at home or purchased in an Asian supermarket or grocery you can start on your black bean sauce. There are two main types, either black bean garlic sauce or spicy black bean sauce (with chillies).
Now I have my black beans, either store bought or prepared from speckled beans using a few left-over black beans to create a starter culture I can make my black bean sauce.
Chinese Black Bean Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
6 tbsp fermented black beans6 tbsp oil (groundnut oil if available)
6 dried cayenne chillies
2 tbsp garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
3 shallots, finely chopped
120ml (1/2 cup) meat or vegetable stock
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine vinegar (or substitute dry sherry)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp muscovado sugar (any dark sugar will work)
1/2 tsp rice vinegar (or use cider vinegar)
Method:
Being in South Africa, I make my stock by taking a stock cube (Chilli Beef is the best) and dissolving that in 1/2 cup boiling water then setting aside to cool.Place the beans and chillies in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and set aside to soak for at least an hour (this removes excess salt from the beans and helps to soften them).
Drain the beans, pat dry then chop finely. Keep about 1 tbsp of the chopped beans to add texture then place the remainder in a bowl and mash them.
Heat the oil in a small pan over low heat then add the chillies and fry for about 3–4 minutes or until aromatic and softening. Drain the chillies with a slotted spoon and set aside then add shallot and fry gently for 4 minutes before adding the garlic and ginger. Fry for about 3 minutes more, until aromatic then add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
At this point add the beans, finely chop the chillies and add these to the other ingredients. Continue cooking the ingredients slowly for about 10 minutes (reduce the heat if the shallot is colouring too fast).
Now stir in all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for about 12 minutes, or until the volume of stock has reduced by half.
If, at this stage, the sauce has not thickened sufficiently for your liking stir 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) into 1 tbsp water and add to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for a few seconds, until thickened.
If you like your black bean sauce smooth, then use a stick blender to blend the ingredients before you add the cornflour to thicken.
Take off the heat and whilst still warm pour into an air-tight container. Don't worry if the oil separates and forms a layer on top of the bean sauce, this is a good thing as it will help preserve the sauce. Allow to cool completely and store in the refrigerator (it will keep for at least 4 months).
This recipe has more oil than some others on the internet, but this makes a significant difference in how long the sauce keeps.
china, sauces, vegetarian, condiments, beans, black bean sauce
Sauces
China
Chinese Black Bean Sauce Recipe
https://fabulousfusionfood.blogspot.com/2019/04/chinese-black-bean-sauce-recipe.html
Chinese Black Bean Sauce Recipe. This is a traditional Chinese recipe for a method of producing black bean sauce from fermented black (soy) beans. This is an essential flavouring in many Chinese dishes.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eddnvmkG5mNWwb2QZQtydDPfMpKAv9i9A5WWbARE9qnvnuwX5dg4XP8rk7cncABsrpwVuL_XBsCmTphharR1m-7tjsVlxuaM-F1_sndDq81U5wOt8UnUexD6eMS6HMhVvF5opxV3YTo/s1600/black-bean-sauce.png
2019-04-06
Yield: 1 Jar
Chinese Black Bean Sauce Recipe
Chinese Black Bean Sauce Recipe. This is a traditional Chinese recipe for a method of producing black bean sauce from fermented black (soy) beans. This is an essential flavouring in many Chinese dishes.
prep time: 90 mins
cook time: 40 mins
total time: 130 mins
Ingredients:
- 6 tbsp fermented black beans
- 6 tbsp oil (groundnut oil if available)
- 6 dried cayenne chillies
- 2 tbsp garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 120ml (1/2 cup) meat or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine vinegar (or substitute dry sherry)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp muscovado sugar (any dark sugar will work)
- 1/2 tsp rice vinegar (or use cider vinegar)
Method:
- Being in South Africa, I make my stock by taking a stock cube (Chilli Beef is the best) and dissolving that in 1/2 cup boiling water then setting aside to cool.
- Place the beans and chillies in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and set aside to soak for at least an hour (this removes excess salt from the beans and helps to soften them).
- Drain the beans, pat dry then chop finely. Keep about 1 tbsp of the chopped beans to add texture then place the remainder in a bowl and mash them.
- Heat the oil in a small pan over low heat then add the chillies and fry for about 3–4 minutes or until aromatic and softening. Drain the chillies with a slotted spoon and set aside then add shallot and fry gently for 4 minutes before adding the garlic and ginger. Fry for about 3 minutes more, until aromatic then add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- At this point add the beans, finely chop the chillies and add these to the other ingredients. Continue cooking the ingredients slowly for about 10 minutes (reduce the heat if the shallot is colouring too fast).
- Now stir in all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for about 12 minutes, or until the volume of stock has reduced by half.
- If, at this stage, the sauce has not thickened sufficiently for your liking stir 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) into 1 tbsp water and add to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for a few seconds, until thickened.
- If you like your black bean sauce smooth, then use a stick blender to blend the ingredients before you add the cornflour to thicken.
- Take off the heat and whilst still warm pour into an air-tight container. Don't worry if the oil separates and forms a layer on top of the bean sauce, this is a good thing as it will help preserve the sauce. Allow to cool completely and store in the refrigerator (it will keep for at least 4 months).
- This recipe has more oil than some others on the internet, but this makes a significant difference in how long the sauce keeps.
© Dyfed Lloyd Evans
Note that the chillies added to the sauce will not make the sauce hot, they just add a subtle fruity note. If you really want your sauce spice add 1 or 2 fresh Scotch bonnet chillies to the ingredients above. I don't do that myself, as I often add this to African dishes which have plenty of fresh chillies in them already.
However, as I am a great fan of Chiese cookery and my wife loves the umami flavour from the beans even in African cookery the quantity above does not last long in my house, which is why I ferment my own beans now.
This black bean sauce is a key ingredient in this site's recipes for:
Rice Sticks with Beef in Black Bean Sauce Recipe
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