This flexible, handmade sauce gives fried rice, noodles, and stir-fried vegetables a rich umami flavor.
Serving: 2 cups
Ingredients:
⅓ cup grapeseed oil
4 to 6 dried Chinese chili peppers, torn into small pieces
1 cup fermented black beans, rinsed, strained, and coarsley chopped
¼ white onion, minced
¼ cup Shaoxing wine
¼ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
1 head garlic (8 to 10 large cloves), finely minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely minced
How To prepare:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil and chili peppers over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring periodically, until chile peppers are dark but not black, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove chile peppers and dispose of them. Add black beans and onion to the mix. Cook and stir for 6 to 8 minutes, or until sauce becomes slightly dry (beans will first absorb oil but will release it once cooked).
Add sugar, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. Allow to simmer, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Low heat and continuous stirring will prevent sauce from burning and maintain even cooking. Add garlic and ginger and continue to simmer and stir for approximately 5 minutes, or until the onion becomes extremely soft. Transfer the sauce to a wide basin for thorough cooling. Refrigerate in an airtight jar for up to six months.
