Finely chop the mushrooms and fry them in oil until golden and set aside as well. Heat some more oil in the same frying pan you used before, then fry the minced tofu on medium-high heat until golden and set aside. Then use your fingers to crumble it into a small mince. Squeeze the tofu between sheets of kitchen paper to remove as much water as possible. Heat some oil in a large frying pan and stir-fry the chilli bean paste until the oil is bright red and the paste smells aromatic.

If using raw peanuts, add them to a tray and roast them at 180☌ for 15 minutes or until golden. It is known for its use in dishes like mapo tofu and kung pao chicken, but in this recipe, we’re spicing up a simple Sichuan-inspired noodle sauce for an easy way to try out the paste.Īlthough it is such a common ingredients in Sichuan cooking, I struggled to find it in my local Chinese stores and eventually sourced it from the well stocked Sous Chef.Īside from its culinary uses, doubanjiang is also believed to have health benefits, such as aiding digestion and boosting the immune system, thanks to the fermentation process that creates beneficial bacteria.ġ tbsp Broad Bean Paste Doubanjiang (40g)ġ/2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste or tahini (20g)Ģ tbsp chilli oil & 1 tsp sediment (I used Gulp)Ģ00g Chinese-style noodles of your choice To make the paste, the broad beans are left to grow a mould called Qū (曲), before they are fermented and mixed together with the chillis, wheat flour and salt and fermented even further for up to 3 years (and sometimes longer). The most famous and widely used variety is Pixian doubanjiang, a geographically protected product due to the ideal climate conditions in the county of Pi. Doubanjiang is one of those powerfoods.ĭoubanjiang (豆瓣醬) is a savoury paste made from fermented broad beans, erjingtiao chillis, salt and wheat flour and is such a fundamental element of Sichuan cooking that it is often referred to as the ‘soul of Sichuan cuisine’. Yet very excitingly, there are many other creations that have not yet been discovered far beyond their native grounds, but have long been hailed for their ability to enrich everyday dishes. There are a few condiments that have become immensely popular due to their versatility in the kitchen (I’m looking at you, miso and gochujang).

The sole purpose of this noodle dish is to get you to try out Pixian Doubanjiang (Chilli Broad Bean Paste), a powerful condiment that should have a permanent spot in your pantry.

Doubanjiang chilli bean paste