Culpeper House

Here Lives A Man with a Pan

Sauces

Black Bean Sauce

Toby

Ingredients

  •  4 tbsp fermented black beans
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing Chinese rice wineor use dry sherry
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp granulated or caster sugar
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 180 ml (3/4 cup) chicken or vegetable stock
  • Cornflour cornstarch slurry – made of 1 tablespoon cornflour, mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions 

  • Start by soaking the fermented black beans. Place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for one hour, then rinse and drain.
  • Once drained, give the black beans a bit of a mash with the back of a fork. I like to mash up about three-quarters and leave the rest whole.
  • Add the sesame and rapeseed oil to a small saucepan. Heat over a medium heat.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, and black beans and fry for one minute, stirring often, until fragrant.
  • Add the rice wine, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, pepper, and stock.
  • Stir together, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly reduced.
  • Stir in the cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce, then turn off the heat.
  • Use right away, or cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Also see: https://redhousespice.com/black-bean-sauce/ for alternative!