Not to be confused with the black beans found in Mexican cooking, Chinese fermented black beans (also called salted black beans) are made by fermenting soybeans in garlic, salt and other spices. Popular dishes like Cantonese Lobster wouldn't be the same without their strong flavor. Here are my ten most popular Chinese recipes using fermented black beans - either the dried beans or a prepared sauce.
1. Lobster Cantonese
The classic Cantonese dish, in which lobster tails are simmered in a savory black bean mixture.2. Mapo Tofu (Mapo Dofu)
One of the most well-known dishes to come out of Szechuan province, the name Mapo Dofu is roughly translated as "pockmarked grandmother beancurd," in honor of the old woman rumoured to have invented the dish.3. Beef With Spicy Black Bean Sauce
Marinated beef is stir-fried with a spicy mixture including fermented black beans and chili paste.4. Spareribs with Black Bean Sauce
Spareribs are slowly simmered in savory black bean sauce with garlic. This recipe is reader-rated at 5 out of 5 stars.5. Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce
A reader gives this recipe for 5 out of 5 stars and writes: "Excellent and easy recipe. I marinated mine overnight and cooked it in a slow cooker to further tenderise the beef. Mouth watering results." (When I wrote asking for more details, he explained that he cooked the beef on low for about 5 hours, using a large Breville Slow Cooker).
