How Chinese fermented black beans add an umami explosion to any dish, and 2 recipe ideas
These dried, salted, fermented soybeans add a delicious savouriness to everything from steamed spare ribs to chicken, when used sparingly
Chinese fermented black beans – known in Cantonese as dou si – are powerful little umami bombs that add an intense, rich savouriness to whatever they are cooked with.
They are made from soybeans, which, when dried, range in colour from ivory to yellow. After being salted and fermented, they turn black and resemble large, dusty rat droppings.
But do not let their appearance fool you – they are delicious, although because their flavour is so strong and pungent, they should be used sparingly.
These beans need to be soaked to soften them; I mostly use warm water, but you can also use rice wine or broth. After soaking them, you can leave them whole, chop them or roughly mash them, depending on what dish they are destined for.
Steamed spare ribs with black beans
The strong flavour of these black beans goes well with onions, garlic and chillies. One of my favourite homestyle dishes is steamed spare ribs with black beans. Soak a teaspoonful of black beans in rice wine for about 15 minutes, then chop them.