Homemade Chinese black bean sauce is tastier and healthier than commercial versions. It’s very easy to make and can be used to enhance the flavor of many dishes.
Chinese black bean sauce, also known as Chinese black bean paste, is a popular condiment used in many Chinese dishes. But what exactly is this salty, pungent sauce made of?
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the ingredients that go into homemade and store-bought Chinese black bean sauce
A Brief Overview of Chinese Black Bean Sauce
Black bean sauce is a staple condiment in Chinese cuisine, especially Cantonese and Sichuan styles of cooking. It has a powerful, savory umami flavor and adds a wonderful richness and depth to stir-fries, noodles, meat dishes, and more.
While you can buy prepared black bean sauce at most grocery stores homemade sauce tastes even better!
The key ingredient in Chinese black bean sauce is fermented black beans, also called douchi or salted black beans. Beyond that, recipes can vary but typical ingredients include garlic, ginger, green onions, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, chili peppers, and thickeners like cornstarch.
Let’s break down the components of homemade black bean sauce.
Fermented Black Beans – The Essential Ingredient
Fermented black beans are whole soybeans that have been fermented with salt and spices. This process gives them a distinctive salty, pungent taste and powerful umami flavor.
You’ll usually find them dried, either loose or in vacuum-sealed bags. Before using them to make black bean sauce, it’s best to rinse and soak the beans to soften them up. Then mash them to form a flavorful bean paste.
Fermented black beans are absolutely essential for making authentic, homemade black bean sauce. You can find them in the Asian section of many grocery stores or at an Asian market.
Pungent Garlic and Ginger
Two other ingredients that feature prominently in black bean sauce are garlic and ginger. When slowly cooked in oil, these aromatic ingredients become wonderfully fragrant and mellow in flavor.
Garlic adds a richness and pungency while ginger provides a warm, zesty bite. They complement the fermented black beans perfectly.
Soy Sauce, Rice Wine, and Vinegar
To balance the strong flavors of fermented black beans, garlic, and ginger, black bean sauce needs some acidity.
Rice vinegar and Chinese rice wine (like Shaoxing) add tart, tangy notes. Soy sauce contributes saltiness, savoriness, and depth.
Other Typical Ingredients
Here are some other components you’ll often find in homemade black bean sauce:
- Green onions – for an additional layer of aromatic flavor
- Sugar or honey – for a touch of balancing sweetness
- Sesame oil – for nutty richness
- Chili peppers – for spicy heat (optional)
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce to the desired consistency
Fresh ginger, garlic, green onions, and chili peppers add vibrancy. While pantry ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar add complexity.
What’s in Store-Bought Black Bean Sauce?
Now you know what goes into homemade black bean sauce. But what about the convenient store-bought versions?
Unfortunately, commercially made black bean sauce often contains preservatives, MSG, thickeners, and other additives you won’t find in homemade sauce. Always check the ingredients list when purchasing prepared black bean sauce.
However, one benefit of store-bought sauce is convenience. When you’re short on time, a quality brand of black bean sauce can be a handy ingredient to keep on hand. Look for options that are mainly made from fermented black beans, soybeans, water, salt, garlic, and ginger.
Make Your Own for Maximum Flavor
For the best flavor and control over ingredients, making your own Chinese black bean sauce is the way to go.
With just 10 core ingredients, you can have homemade black bean sauce ready in just 20 minutes. It will taste fresher and more vibrant than store-bought sauce.
The bonus? Homemade black bean sauce stores for up to 2 weeks in the fridge so you can make a batch to have on hand anytime.
So give homemade black bean sauce a try! With the powerful umami flavor of fermented black beans as its base, accented by aromatics like garlic, ginger, and green onions, it’s a condiment that can transform any Asian-inspired dish.
Frequency of Entities:
fermented black beans – 14
garlic – 5
ginger – 4
soy sauce – 3
rice wine – 3
vinegar – 2
green onions – 2
sugar – 2
sesame oil – 1
chili peppers – 1
cornstarch – 1
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Step 3: Fry the sauce
After removing the aromatics, add minced garlic and ginger to the hot oil. Keep the heat on medium. Fry until the garlic turns slightly golden (Be attentive to avoid burning). Then add the beans. Simmer for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly.
Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, Chinese five-spice (or ground white pepper), and sugar. Cook for a further 30 seconds or so. Turn off the heat and pour in a little sesame oil to finish.
About fermented black beans
In Chinese, fermented black beans are called Dòu Chǐ (douchi) (豆豉). They are made from black soybeans, not black turtle beans like in Latin American food. They are fermented with salt. Ginger and/or spices may also be used in the fermentation process. They smell earthy, salty, sweet, bitter, and aromatic, and their flavor is so complex that no other ingredient can match it.
They’re a special ingredient in Chinese food that you won’t find in most supermarkets outside of China. However, they are available in most Chinese grocery stores and on popular online shopping platforms like Amazon.
Fermented black beans are often labeled with more than one English name on the package, like Salted Black Beans or Preserved Beans with Ginger, as seen above.
The most common type is the dried one (pictured above), which is sometimes served with pieces of dried ginger. It’s the type that I use in all dishes that call for fermented black beans. The wet version, which comes in a salty and sweet brine, is not something I would recommend because I think the beans are less flavorful and saltier.
After you’ve gathered all the ingredients, it only takes three simple steps to make this versatile sauce.
Chinese Black Bean Garlic Sauce
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