Fermented (Preserved) Black Beans

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!

Rich in umami the fermented black beans can be ground to a paste and mashed with garlic to introduce deliciously salty flavours to sauces. Preserved black beans can also be soaked in cold water for half an hour before being added to stews and stir fries to incorporate less-salty, earthy and soy-like savoury flavours to a dish.

Ingredients: (Soya beans) black beans, salt, ginger. Contains soya.