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A container of fermented Chinese black beans (Douw See) lives in my fridge ready to use at any moment. However, do not get these confused with the Mexican black beans! They can be bought in your local Chinese supermarket or online, and can be found dried in a packet or rehydrated in a tin.

My mum used to make a huge variety of dishes with black beans, steamed fish/tofu with black beans, chicken/beef/pork/prawns with black bean sauce, fried stuffed tofu with black bean sauce, a variety of shellfish with black beans. I could go on…

Black beans are actually fermented salted black soybeans. There are hundreds of varieties of soybean and in many different colours. Young green soybeans are also known as edamame beans. More mature soybeans are used for soy milk and tofu. Soy sauce is made from cooked soybeans combined with wheat, salt and a fermenting agent.

Soybeans are rich in protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals and are a truly versatile ingredient with many by-products.

Nutrition: Per tbsp

  • kcal14
  • fat1g
  • saturates0.1g
  • carbs1g
  • sugars0.2g
  • fibre0g
  • protein0.5g
  • salt0.34g

Method

  • step 1

    Put the dried beans into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for at least 15 mins. Drain, rinse and set aside.

  • step 2

    Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and cook the ginger and garlic for 2 mins until fragrant, stirring continuously to ensure it doesn’t burn. Stir in the black beans and cook for another minute, then pour in the wine and cook for 1 min.

  • step 3

    Drizzle in the soy sauce, then add the sugar, sesame oil and a pinch of white ground pepper. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

  • step 4

    Pour in 400ml of water and slowly simmer for around 10 mins, until it's reached your preferred texture. The longer you cook it, the softer the beans will become and they will start to disintegrate into the sauce.

  • step 5

    Combine the cornflour with 1 tbsp water, then add 1 tbsp of this mixture into the beans, bring to the boil until the sauce thickens and becomes translucent. Add a little more water if you want it looser, or more cornflour paste to thicken. Will keep chilled in an airtight, sterilised container for up to a week.

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