Douchi

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Douchi (Chinese: 豆豉; pinyin: dòuchǐ, Cantonese: dao si), also called Chinese fermented black beans, is a flavoring most popular in the cuisine of China, and is used to make black bean sauce.

Douchi is made by fermenting and salting soybeans. The process turns the beans black, soft, and mostly dry. The flavor is sharp, pungent, and spicy in smell, with a taste that is salty and somewhat bitter and sweet.

Douchi should not be confused with black turtle beans, a variety of common bean that is commonly used in the cuisines of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

In Japanese, douchi is also referred to by the same kanji (豆豉) and pronounced as touchi.

The process and product are similar to ogiri and iru, both being African fermented bean products.

[edit] Use

Douchi is especially used to flavor fish or stir-fried vegetables (particularly bitter melon and leaf vegetables). Unlike some other fermented soybean-based foods such as natto or tempeh, douchi is used only as a seasoning, and is not meant to be consumed in large quantities, being typically much more salty.

Small packets of douchi (dao si) are available wherever Chinese foods are sold.

Some common dishes made with douchi are Steamed Spare ribs with Fermented Black Beans and Chili Pepper (豉椒排骨), and Braised Mud Carp with Fermented Black Beans (豆豉鯪魚).

[edit] Black bean paste

In Chinese cuisine, a condiment called black bean paste or black bean garlic sauce (蒜蓉豆豉酱) is made from douchi, as well as garlic and soy sauce, a typical combination used for seasoning a dish. This paste is commercially available in glass jars from companies such as Lee Kum Kee, although most Chinese restaurant chefs prefer to use actual douchi to prepare such sauces rather than using commercially available black bean paste.