Andrew Wong’s black bean sauce

Name: Andrew Wong’s black bean sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Makes about 300g
Cuisine: Chinese recipes
Ingredients: 100g fermented black beans; 175ml vegetable oil; 25g garlic, finely chopped; 25g ginger, finely chopped; 1 star anise; 1 piece dried tangerine peel; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 40g yellow bean sauce; 1½ tsp caster sugar; 1 tsp chicken powder

Portion size: Makes about 300g
Prep time 10 min, plus 10 min soaking. Cook time 10 min
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Andrew Wong

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Andrew Wong shares his recipe for Chinese black bean sauce. Serve as relish, folded into fried rice or loosen to use as a stir-fry sauce.

British-born of Chinese heritage, as a child Andrew helped at his parents’ Pimlico restaurant. Determined not to go into hospitality, he went to university to study social anthropology but, after his father died, returned to help his mother. In the restaurant, intrigued by the connections he could see between food, culture and history, Andrew became determined to learn more about regional Chinese cuisines. He then spent six months travelling in China, learning local recipes and techniques, and returned to re-open the family restaurant as A Wong in 2012 (a nod to his parents, Albert and Annie). The restaurant has become a must-visit destination for food lovers. Follow Andrew on Instagram @awongsw1

Check out Andrew’s other must-make Chinese condiments: beef ‘XO’ sauce and ginger and spring onion relish.

Before you start

Make ahead The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Know-how Buy black beans, tangerine peel, yellow bean sauce and chicken powder online/from Asian stores.

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Ingredients

100g fermented black beans
175ml vegetable oil
25g garlic, finely chopped
25g ginger, finely chopped
1 star anise
1 piece dried tangerine peel
1 tbsp oyster sauce
40g yellow bean sauce
1½ tsp caster sugar
1 tsp chicken powder

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Method

Put the fermented black beans in a bowl and cover with hot water. Leave to rehydrate for 10 minutes, then drain and transfer to a food processor. Whizz to a coarse paste.
Pour the oil into a wok or saucepan over a medium heat. Once shimmering hot, add the garlic and ginger. Sizzle for 1-2 minutes until they smell very aromatic. Add the star anise, tangerine peel and black bean paste. There should be enough oil to cover all the solids.
Add the remaining ingredients to the sauce and cook, stirring regularly, for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and firmed up. Serve as is, as a relish to add to fried rice. If you want it as a looser sauce for stir-fries, dilute with a splash of shaoxing wine, a spoonful of oyster sauce and some chicken stock or water, then thicken with cornflour.
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