Chinese

This black bean sauce recipe with garlic, chiles, and ginger creates a popular Chinese stir-fry sauce that's pungent and earthy. It's easy to make and will last in the refrigerator for up to a month. Because of the saltiness of the beans, there is no need to add salt in the recipes where you use this sauce.

Ingredients
  • 8 ounces dried fermented black beans
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
  • 4 Thai chiles, chopped
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Step By Step Method
  1. Rinse black beans thoroughly and dry. Remove about 1/4 cup and set aside. Roughly chop the rest of the beans.
  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.
  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.
  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.