Preserved Salted Black Bean with Ginger 400g by Yang Jiang
Fermented black beans – also known as preserved black beans – are a savoury ingredient often used in Huanese cooking. These Yang Jiang beans are made from black soya beans which have been soaked in water, steamed and then preserved in salt and flavoured with ginger. Fermented black beans keep very well – as demonstrated in 1972, when the 165 BC Han Dynasty tombs were excavated, revealing some fermented black beans inside. Though happily not these ones!
Salted black beans are a key Chinese flavouring. Rich in umami the fermented black beans can be ground to a paste and mashed with garlic to introduce deliciously salty flavours to sauces. They have a pungent smell and pack a powerful, distinctive, salty flavour punch. Indeed, only a small amount is required to season an entire dish.
Their robust flavour means that they are often partnered with garlic, root ginger and chilli. Simply rinse the salted black beans and chop or mash as required before cooking with them. A versatile flavouring, they go well with poultry and pork, but also seafood. Use them to make classic Chinese dishes such as steamed spare ribs or scallops with black beans or – more extravagantly – lobster with chilli and black bean sauce.
Fermented black beans are sold under many different names. So, if you see a product labelled salty Chinese black beans, douchi or tochi, daitokuji natto, hamanatto or tera-natto - what you're getting is the same as these fermented preserved black beans.
Ingredients: Black Beans (soybeans), Salt, Water, Ginger.
Origin: China
