Black Bean Sauce

 

Black bean sauce is a salty sauce prepared using fermented and mashed black beans, spices and garlic. This sauce is unique to Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines. This sauce is usually used as a condiment or base in different foods. It may be flavored with garlic or chili paste. Commercially, this sauce is prepared by combining fermented and mashed black beans with ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, potassium chlorate and black food coloring.

 

The first recorded mention of this sauce dates back to the era of Ming dynasty.

 

Method of Preparation of Black Bean Sauce

The recipes for this popular condiment vary from region to region depending on the availability of ingredients and food cultures of the place. The most common Asian black bean sauce encapsulates hotness of crushed red pepper and gingerroot. It is very easy to prepare by sautéing all ingredients in a single pan.



Ingredients – Black beans, low –sodium soy sauce, grated and peeled gingerroot, grated orange rind, crushed red pepper, and garlic cloves are required to produce the common Asian variant of black sauce.



Method of Preparation and Serving – All the ingredients are boiled in a saucepan over low heat and served hot with meats, breads and grilled vegetables. The sauce goes well with shrimp and other related seafood.



Nutrition – Each serving of the sauce delivers 113 calories, with 5% fats, 7.6 grams of protein, 20.4 grams of carbohydrates, 8. 4 grams of fiberand 309 mg of sodium. 

 

Dishes Involving Black Bean Paste  

 

  • Jajangmyun – This dish is popularly known as Korean black bean noodles.  Black bean paste is used as a condiment in this recipe along with noodles. Noodles and pork are required to make this sauce. The marinating sauce for pork is created by combining refined rice wine, salt, pepper and ginger. Apart from ingredients like onion, potato, zucchini, carrot, cabbage leaves, olive oil, sugar, cooking syrup, refined rice wine, water and starch are required to make this dish.



    Method of Preparation – Pork is marinated prior to cooking. Vegetables are cubed and stirred in wok along with marinated pork. Olive oil and black bean paste are gradually added to the wok during the cooking. Noodles are cooked separately in the pitcher of salty water and jajangmyun sauce is poured over it before serving. The dish is decorated with extra cucumber slices, green beans or chopped cooked eggs. Variations can be created with different decorating ingredients.
     
  • Stir –Fried Fish fillets with Black Bean Sauce – This dish is popular in China and Malaysia with minor variations. The variations can be observed in the form of combining ingredients. Ingredients like fish fillets, black bean sauce, small onion, dried chillies, green bell pepper, scallions, fresh ginger, fish sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and corn starch are used in the preparation of this dish.



    Method of Preparation – Sliced ginger, bell peppers, onion, and dried red chili flakes are cooked in oil. Fish is added to this aromatic mixture and cooked along with other ingredients which are introduced in a slow and gradual manner. Corn starch is added towards the end of cooking to improve the thickness of the dish which  is served after tossing with chopped scallions.


     
  • Chinese Chicken in Black Bean Sauce – Chicken in black bean paste or black bean sauce is a popular Chinese dish and during special occasions it is served with plain freshly steamed rice.



    Ingredients – Sesame oil, salt, garlic cloves, black bean sauce, chicken breasts, stock cube, onion, spring onions, green peppers, dark soy sauce, black pepper and corn flour are used in the preparation of this dish.



    Method of Preparation – Chicken is cooked in wok along with other ingredients and black bean sauce until it turns soft. The corn flour paste is prepared by mixing it with water and the paste is added to the dish towards the end of cooking to enrich its thickness.