Chilli bean paste or sauce (chilli paste with garlic, Sichuan chilli sauce)

Chilli peppers, both sweet and hot, were introduced into China scarcely 100 years ago. Their popularity was immediate and, along with the tomato, they transformed Chinese cooking. There are many varieties of chilli pastes and sauces. The basic ingredients, which include ground chillies, oil, salt, and garlic, are fermented into a rich paste that ranges in taste from mild to very hot. Chinese cooks will also mix into the basic version such ingredients as ground soybeans, black beans, ginger, preserved vegetables, and other condiments. In the so-called ‘hot bean pastes’ soybeans predominate. Every chef in every region of China has his or her own special recipe for chilli bean paste.

Shopping tips

The brand you buy will greatly influence the taste of the dish that calls for this paste. Unfortunately, the labels never indicate whether the paste is hot or mild. However, one of the best is the Lan Chi brand from Taiwan. It is a high quality paste that is well balanced in seasoning. There are many good brands from China, but, unfortunately, their availability is rather unreliable; they should be purchased whenever possible, especially the ones from Sichuan province. Brands from Hong Kong tend to be of high quality and are generally milder; however, there may be one or two very hot ones. It is best to try a few and decide what suits your palate. I would avoid many of the Singapore brands, which vary from bland to very hot without any balancing seasonings.

Storage notes

Be sure to seal the jar tightly after use and store in the refrigerator where the paste will keep indefinitely.

Useful hints

When using a chilli bean paste or sauce for the first time, temper your usage until you are familiar with the flavour, then adjust the amount according to your taste. Combine chilli bean paste with other sauces, such as soy sauce, or with Shaoxing rice wine, to create your own personal flavours.

Note: There is a chilli sauce that is used mainly as a dipping sauce. It is a hot, reddish, thin sauce made without any added beans and should not be confused with this thicker, more complex chilli bean paste or sauce.

© Ken Hom and reproduced with his kind permission.