Chinese Black Bean Sauce

Fermented black beans mixed with traditional ingredients creates one of the most popular stir-fry sauces on a Chinese food menu. This pungent and earthy sauce is easy to make and will last in the refrigerator up to a month. It can also be frozen in small portions to easily be used for a quick stir-fry. Because of the saltiness of the beans, there is no need to add salt in the recipes where you use this sauce.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 211 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 8 ounces dried fermented black beans
• 4 peppers Thai chiles, chopped
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
• ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Rinse black beans thoroughly and dry. Remove about 1/4 cup and set aside. Roughly chop the rest of the beans.

Step 2

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add chiles, shallot, ginger, and garlic. Fry until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Do not let the ingredients burn. Reduce the heat if necessary. The objective is to slow cook the ingredients.

Step 3

Add all the beans; both chopped and whole. Simmer, stirring often, until the beans are soft, about 2 minutes. Add tamari, rice wine, brown sugar, ground Sichuan pepper, and five spice. Simmer until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat; let cool, about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Mix in sesame oil and cover. As the sauce rests, the beans will settle and the oil will float, creating a barrier which will protect it from mold. The sauce is ready to use or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.