black bean paste

This intensely savoury paste is a brilliant flavour booster for east Asian-inspired stir-fries and noodle dishes.

Shop Cooks' Ingredients Black Bean Paste

Use in a hot and spicy sauce for mapo tofu.
Mix with sesame oil, rice vinegar and grated ginger for a dipping sauce for wontons.
Add to bring savoury depth to a vegan stew of sweet potato, mushrooms and shredded cabbage.
Mix with honey and grated ginger to use as a marinade for pork spare ribs.
Stir through flash-fried Tenderstem broccoli, then toss together with noodles.
Use to make hui guo rou – or Sichuan twice-cooked pork belly.
Mix with ginger, garlic, spring onion and light soy sauce for a marinade for salmon steaks. Steam, then serve with noodles and pak choi.

Beef & black bean stir-fry

This quick family supper beats the takeaway hands-down!

Add strips of beef to a marinade of equal parts of soy, sesame oil and cornflour. Steep for 20 minutes–hour.
Add sesame oil (or Wok Oil) to a wok on a high heat. Sizzle the beef, along with some coarsely chopped green peppers and wedges of red onion, and cook until the veg begins to soften – about 4 minutes. Add 1 tsp crispy chilli oil (or some coarsely chopped red chilli), stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, then add Fermented Black Bean Paste, along with any reserved marinade and a little water to achieve your preferred sauce consistency.
Cook till piping hot, then serve with rice, garnished with chopped spring onion and cashews, if you like.

Chinese black beans aren’t the same as those you’ll find in Mexican or Caribbean cooking. Those are a variety called black turtle beans, which bring bulk to rice dishes and salsas. The Chinese variety are black soya beans, which are fermented and used for their rich, umami flavour.

BLACK BEAN PASTE

This intensely savoury paste is a brilliant flavour booster for east Asian-inspired stir-fries and noodle dishes.

Shop Cooks' Ingredients Black Bean Paste

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

Rich, savoury and packed with umami flavour.

TIPS, TRICKS & HACKS

Use in a hot and spicy sauce for mapo tofu.
Mix with sesame oil, rice vinegar and grated ginger for a dipping sauce for wontons.
Add to bring savoury depth to a vegan stew of sweet potato, mushrooms and shredded cabbage.
Mix with honey and grated ginger to use as a marinade for pork spare ribs.
Stir through flash-fried Tenderstem broccoli, then toss together with noodles.
Use to make hui guo rou – or Sichuan twice-cooked pork belly.
Mix with ginger, garlic, spring onion and light soy sauce for a marinade for salmon steaks. Steam, then serve with noodles and pak choi.

easy meal idea

Beef & black bean stir-fry

This quick family supper beats the takeaway hands-down!

Add strips of beef to a marinade of equal parts of soy, sesame oil and cornflour. Steep for 20 minutes–1 hour.
Add sesame oil (or Wok Oil) to a wok on a high heat. Sizzle the beef, along with some coarsely chopped green peppers and wedges of red onion, and cook until the veg begins to soften – about 4 minutes. Add 1 tsp crispy chilli oil (or some coarsely chopped red chilli), stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, then add Black Bean Paste, along with any reserved marinade and a little water to achieve your preferred sauce consistency.
Cook till piping hot, then serve with rice, garnished with chopped spring onion and cashews, if you like.