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Black bean sauce served with rice and vegetables
Rich and tasty Chinese black bean sauce

Savory Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Author: Flavelo
Sauces and Gravies Recipes Main Courses
Fermented black beans (douchi) are one of the oldest flavorings in Chinese cuisine. The beans themselves are intensely salty and pungent, so they are rarely used alone. In this sauce, we dissolve and soften that power. This is the base of the classic 'brown sauce' found in Chinese takeout: salty, earthy, and unmistakably rich in umami.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 10 mins
⌛ Total Time 25 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 130 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Wok or Skillet: For sautéing.
  • Small Bowl: For mixing the cornstarch slurry.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Soy
⚠️ Sesame
⚠️ Wheat

Instructions

1 ✓

Place the black beans in a sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove excess salt. Then, mash them slightly with the back of a spoon or a knife.

Tip: No need to puree; just break the beans to release their flavor.
2 ✓

Minced the garlic and ginger finely.

Tip: Prep all ingredients beforehand, as things move fast in a wok.
3 ✓

Heat the sesame oil in the skillet and sauté the garlic, ginger, and black beans for 1 minute.

Tip: The aroma becomes intense at this point.
4 ✓

Pour in the 2/3 cup water, soy sauce, and vinegar. Add the sugar and chili flakes. Bring to a boil.

Tip: Taste it: if too salty, add a splash more water and sugar.
5 ✓

Mix the cornstarch with the 1 tablespoon of cold water in a small glass until smooth.

Tip: This is your 'slurry'.
6 ✓

Drizzle the cornstarch water into the boiling sauce while stirring constantly. Cook for another 1 minute until it thickens and turns glossy.

Tip: Cornstarch needs boiling to activate and lose its starchy taste.

Recipe FAQ

It's very salty.
You didn't rinse the black beans enough. Next time, soak them in water for a few minutes before using.
The thickener became lumpy.
Always mix cornstarch with cold water completely before adding it to the hot sauce, and stir the sauce immediately upon addition.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp Fermented black beans (rinsed)
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 piece (1 inch) Fresh ginger
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup Soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup Water (for sauce)
  • 2 tsp Brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Water (for cornstarch)
  • 1 tsp Red chili flakes