Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?

Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
"black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.

J.

On 5/3/2015 1:45 PM, JRStern wrote:
> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?

Great question, I'm thinking the latter.

> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>
> J.

Great stuff, many uses.

On Sun, 03 May 2015 14:47:23 -0600, "W. Lohman" > wrote:

>On 5/3/2015 1:45 PM, JRStern wrote:
>> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
>> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>
>Great question, I'm thinking the latter.
>
>> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
>> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>>
>> J.
>
>Great stuff, many uses.

I have a local restaurant that has a chicken with spicey garlic black
bean sauce, and I could live on it! Onions, green peppers, tiny bits
of jalapeno. I have no idea if they make the sauce or get it premade
in barrels.

Well, my local Kroger/Ralphs does not have the fermented black beans
or the premade sauce from Kikkoman or anyone else.

http://www.kikkomanusa.com/homecooks...=10512&fam=105

Have to try a local Japanese market, and if that doesn't work have to
dig up a Chinese market. Or sneak into the restaurant's kitchen ...

J.

On 5/3/2015 2:57 PM, JRStern wrote:
> On Sun, 03 May 2015 14:47:23 -0600, "W. Lohman" > wrote:
>
>> On 5/3/2015 1:45 PM, JRStern wrote:
>>> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
>>> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>>
>> Great question, I'm thinking the latter.
>>
>>> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
>>> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>>>
>>> J.
>>
>> Great stuff, many uses.
>
> I have a local restaurant that has a chicken with spicey garlic black
> bean sauce, and I could live on it! Onions, green peppers, tiny bits
> of jalapeno. I have no idea if they make the sauce or get it premade
> in barrels.

Damn, that sounds super good!

> Well, my local Kroger/Ralphs does not have the fermented black beans
> or the premade sauce from Kikkoman or anyone else.
>
> http://www.kikkomanusa.com/homecooks...=10512&fam=105
>
> Have to try a local Japanese market, and if that doesn't work have to
> dig up a Chinese market. Or sneak into the restaurant's kitchen ...
>
> J.

The variety you'll find at any good Asian market will be worth the
drive, trust me.

I've got a really tasty black bean and garlic soybean oil paste in a jar
that I use like BBQ souce.

Shake on a little 5 spice powder and beef skewers just wake right up.

On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:45:44 AM UTC-10, JRStern wrote:
> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>
> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>
> J.

You might be able to find black bean sauce in the store. You are correct that a bottle of that stuff is the way to go. You probably won't find Chinese salted black beans though. The Chinese black beans are fermented soy beans and the Mexican black beans are made of something that's not soybean. The Chinese black beans are used as a seasoning, Mexican black beans are just beans.

On 5/3/2015 4:02 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:45:44 AM UTC-10, JRStern wrote:
>> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
>> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>>
>> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
>> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>>
>> J.
>
> You might be able to find black bean sauce in the store. You are correct that a bottle of that stuff is the way to go. You probably won't find Chinese salted black beans though. The Chinese black beans are fermented soy beans and the Mexican black beans are made of something that's not soybean. The Chinese black beans are used as a seasoning, Mexican black beans are just beans.
>
The Chinese style are just killer good.

The jar of black bean/garlic soybean oil I have is extra tasty on top of
sushi rice too!

On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 12:06:08 PM UTC-10, W. Lohman wrote:
> On 5/3/2015 4:02 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> > On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:45:44 AM UTC-10, JRStern wrote:
> >> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
> >> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
> >>
> >> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
> >> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
> >>
> >> J.
> >
> > You might be able to find black bean sauce in the store. You are correct that a bottle of that stuff is the way to go. You probably won't find Chinese salted black beans though. The Chinese black beans are fermented soy beans and the Mexican black beans are made of something that's not soybean. The Chinese black beans are used as a seasoning, Mexican black beans are just beans.
> >
> The Chinese style are just killer good.
>
> The jar of black bean/garlic soybean oil I have is extra tasty on top of
> sushi rice too!

Well OK - I sold! I had some chili over rice this morning. Boy, that was good stuff.

You might be interested in shio koji, which is sorta the same thing as Chinese black bean in that it's fermented salty stuff except that it's made with rice. I've never used it myself but I've had a bag of the stuff in my refrigerator for months just waiting. I figure it'll last forever though.

On 5/3/2015 4:35 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 12:06:08 PM UTC-10, W. Lohman wrote:
>> On 5/3/2015 4:02 PM, dsi1 wrote:
>>> On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:45:44 AM UTC-10, JRStern wrote:
>>>> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
>>>> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>>>>
>>>> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
>>>> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>>>>
>>>> J.
>>>
>>> You might be able to find black bean sauce in the store. You are correct that a bottle of that stuff is the way to go. You probably won't find Chinese salted black beans though. The Chinese black beans are fermented soy beans and the Mexican black beans are made of something that's not soybean. The Chinese black beans are used as a seasoning, Mexican black beans are just beans.
>>>
>> The Chinese style are just killer good.
>>
>> The jar of black bean/garlic soybean oil I have is extra tasty on top of
>> sushi rice too!
>
> Well OK - I sold! I had some chili over rice this morning. Boy, that was good stuff.
>
> You might be interested in shio koji, which is sorta the same thing as Chinese black bean in that it's fermented salty stuff except that it's made with rice. I've never used it myself but I've had a bag of the stuff in my refrigerator for months just waiting. I figure it'll last forever though.
>
I added that to my shopping list, thanks!

http://kojiya.jp/shiokoji/

And now I know what to look for.

I'm not afraid of healthy fungi either, so this should be fun to smaple.

On Sun, 3 May 2015 15:35:28 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
wrote:

> I had some chili over rice this morning. Boy, that was good stuff.

Second day chili over rice is great!

--

sf

On 5/3/2015 8:55 PM, sf wrote:
> On Sun, 3 May 2015 15:35:28 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
> wrote:
>
>> I had some chili over rice this morning. Boy, that was good stuff.
>
> Second day chili over rice is great!
>

I made the chili with a lot of Korean red pepper powder. I love that
stuff and use it a lot. One of these days, that stuff will make it big!

On 5/3/2015 6:02 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:45:44 AM UTC-10, JRStern wrote:
>> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
>> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>>
>> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
>> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>>
>> J.
>
> You might be able to find black bean sauce in the store. You are correct
> that a bottle of that stuff is the way to go. You probably won't find
> Chinese salted black beans though. The Chinese black beans are fermented
> soy beans

Is that what that is ... I like to order Hunan Beef from the local
chinese place, I love all the vegetables ... but I have to pick out
these horrible black beans that leave a dirt taste in my mouth.
Blech.

Guess I could try ordering it Without the Yucky black bean things.

nancy

On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 12:28:37 PM UTC-10, Nancy Young wrote:
> On 5/3/2015 6:02 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> > On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:45:44 AM UTC-10, JRStern wrote:
> >> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
> >> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
> >>
> >> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
> >> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
> >>
> >> J.
> >
> > You might be able to find black bean sauce in the store. You are correct
> > that a bottle of that stuff is the way to go. You probably won't find
> > Chinese salted black beans though. The Chinese black beans are fermented
> > soy beans
>
> Is that what that is ... I like to order Hunan Beef from the local
> chinese place, I love all the vegetables ... but I have to pick out
> these horrible black beans that leave a dirt taste in my mouth.
> Blech.
>
> Guess I could try ordering it Without the Yucky black bean things.
>
> nancy

I don't see that in too many beef dishes over here - mostly they use it in seafood. I guess they they should smash the beans up more. :-)

On 5/3/2015 6:38 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 12:28:37 PM UTC-10, Nancy Young wrote:

>> Is that what that is ... I like to order Hunan Beef from the local
>> chinese place, I love all the vegetables ... but I have to pick out
>> these horrible black beans that leave a dirt taste in my mouth.
>> Blech.
>>
>> Guess I could try ordering it Without the Yucky black bean things.

> I don't see that in too many beef dishes over here - mostly they use it
> in seafood. I guess they they should smash the beans up more. :-)

Yeah, if I can't pick them out, I'm definitely not ordering that
again.

ancy

On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 12:43:10 PM UTC-10, Nancy Young wrote:
> On 5/3/2015 6:38 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> > On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 12:28:37 PM UTC-10, Nancy Young wrote:
>
> >> Is that what that is ... I like to order Hunan Beef from the local
> >> chinese place, I love all the vegetables ... but I have to pick out
> >> these horrible black beans that leave a dirt taste in my mouth.
> >> Blech.
> >>
> >> Guess I could try ordering it Without the Yucky black bean things.
>
> > I don't see that in too many beef dishes over here - mostly they use it
> > in seafood. I guess they they should smash the beans up more. :-)
>
> Yeah, if I can't pick them out, I'm definitely not ordering that
> again.
>
> ancy

How about some nice pressed duck instead? :-)

On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 1:15:58 PM UTC-10, Bruce wrote:
> On Sun, 3 May 2015 15:02:55 -0700 (PDT), dsi1
> wrote:
>
> >On Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:45:44 AM UTC-10, JRStern wrote:
> >> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
> >> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
> >>
> >> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
> >> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
> >>
> >> J.
> >
> >You might be able to find black bean sauce in the store. You are correct that
> >a bottle of that stuff is the way to go. You probably won't find
> >Chinese salted black beans though. The Chinese black beans are
> >fermented soy beans and the Mexican black beans are made of
> >something that's not soybean. The Chinese black beans are used as a
> >seasoning, Mexican black beans are just beans.
>
> You don't have to buy the prefab sauce. Why not just buy the beans and
> add a tablespoon or so to a stir fry? Great stuff.
>
> --
> Bruce

The beans are too hardcore for me. The stuff in the jar is more lightweight and comes in a more convenient form.

On Sun, 3 May 2015 16:46:15 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
wrote:

> The beans are too hardcore for me. The stuff in the jar is more lightweight and comes in a more convenient form.

Equal parts salted black beans, onion and grated garlic, cover with
oil. Whiz in a blender to make a paste.

--

sf

On Sun, 03 May 2015 23:38:35 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Sun, 3 May 2015 16:46:15 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
>wrote:
>
>> The beans are too hardcore for me. The stuff in the jar is more lightweight and comes in a more convenient form.
>
>Equal parts salted black beans, onion and grated garlic, cover with
>oil. Whiz in a blender to make a paste.

First of all, which beans, the frijoles or "black soy" beans?

Second, if you start with dried beans, takes you all day to get them
ready to roll.

Third, the Chinese version is "fermented", exactly whatever that
means.

J.

On 5/4/2015 9:44 AM, JRStern wrote:
> On Sun, 03 May 2015 23:38:35 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 3 May 2015 16:46:15 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> The beans are too hardcore for me. The stuff in the jar is more lightweight and comes in a more convenient form.
>>
>> Equal parts salted black beans, onion and grated garlic, cover with
>> oil. Whiz in a blender to make a paste.
>
> First of all, which beans, the frijoles or "black soy" beans?
>
> Second, if you start with dried beans, takes you all day to get them
> ready to roll.
>
> Third, the Chinese version is "fermented", exactly whatever that
> means.
>
> J.
>
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/chin...blackbeans.htm

Definition: These are not the black beans you'll find in Mexican
cooking. Fermented black beans (also called salted or dried black beans)
are made from soybeans that have been dried and fermented with salt;
other spices such as chilies and/or wine and possibly ginger may be
added. Because of their strong flavor, fermented black beans are
frequently paired with other strong seasonings, such as garlic and
chilies. They make a frequent appearance in Cantonese cooking; you’ll
find them in dishes such as Shrimp With Lobster Sauce. Fermented black
beans are normally rinsed before being used in cooking; otherwise, they
will impart too much of a salty flavor to the dish. Often you’ll find
recipes calling for the beans to be mashed with garlic.

Fermented black beans are sold in plastic bags in Asian markets. At
home, remove the beans from the package and store in a sealed container
in a cool, dark place. The beans will last for several months. You can
also find fermented black beans sold in jars - these can be used instead
if necessary but they don't have as much flavor.

If you don’t live near an Asian market, premade black bean sauce is
often available in the international or ethnic section of many supermarkets.

On 5/3/2015 8:38 PM, sf wrote:
> On Sun, 3 May 2015 16:46:15 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
> wrote:
>
>> The beans are too hardcore for me. The stuff in the jar is more lightweight and comes in a more convenient form.
>
> Equal parts salted black beans, onion and grated garlic, cover with
> oil. Whiz in a blender to make a paste.
>

Part of the appeal of black beans is that you see it on the dish so you
can either eat it or discard it.

On Monday, May 4, 2015 at 5:45:44 AM UTC+10, JRStern wrote:
> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?

Yes. Salty fermented soybeans. Like solid soy sauce.

> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.

Our Vietnamese and Chinese grocery stores have many Chinese varieties, but even our regular supermarkets have some, which is quite OK. The Korean version can be good too.

On 5/3/2015 5:16 PM, Timo wrote:
> On Monday, May 4, 2015 at 5:45:44 AM UTC+10, JRStern wrote:
>> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
>> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>
> Yes. Salty fermented soybeans. Like solid soy sauce.
>
>> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
>> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>
> Our Vietnamese and Chinese grocery stores have many Chinese varieties, but even our regular supermarkets have some, which is quite OK. The Korean version can be good too.
>


Koreans really get fermentation, our local Asian mart has a pretty good
Kimchi selection.

On Sun, 03 May 2015 12:45:45 -0700, JRStern >
wrote:

> Does Chinese "black bean" sauce use the same black beans as Mexican
> black beans, or is the Chinese "black bean" black soybeans?
>
> Actually I'm just off to the market to see what they offer, premade
> "black bean sauce" seems to be the way to go.
>
Chinese black beans are salted and preserved. I'd rather use those
and make my own sauce.

--

sf