Mushroom Black Bean Sauce

Name: Mushroom Black Bean Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indo_chinese
Ingredients: 300 g mushroom (button or cremini, cleaned and sliced); 2 tbsp fermented black beans (lightly rinsed and roughly crushed); 1 pcs onion (small, sliced); 5 pcs garlic (cloves, finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 1 pcs green chili (slit or finely chopped); 2 pcs spring onion (whites chopped, greens separated for garnish); 1 pcs bell pepper (small, cubed); 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium preferred); 1 tsp vinegar (rice vinegar or white vinegar); 1 pinch black pepper; 1 pinch red chili powder; 2 tsp cornstarch (mixed with water to make slurry); 0.75 cup water (divided, for sauce and slurry); 2 tbsp oil; 1 pinch salt

RATING

4.4/5(65)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

Earthy mushrooms simmered in a savory black bean sauce with garlic, ginger, and spring onion. This Indo-Chinese style dish is bold, glossy, and perfect to spoon over a small serving of rice or noodles.

PREP

15m

COOK

15m

SERVES

1 KATORI

135 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prep the vegetables and sauce ingredients.
1.Slice the mushroom and onion.
2.Chop the garlic, ginger, green chili, and spring onion whites.
3.Keep the spring onion greens aside for garnish.
4.Mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp water to make a smooth slurry.
saute · ~4 min
Cook the aromatics and black beans.
1.Heat oil in a wok or broad pan over medium heat.
2.Add garlic, ginger, green chili, onion, and spring onion whites.
3.Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and lightly softened.
4.Add the crushed fermented black beans and stir for 30 seconds.
TIPKeep the heat medium so the garlic and black beans do not burn and turn bitter.
saute · ~5 min
Stir-fry the mushroom and bell pepper.
1.Add mushroom and bell pepper to the pan.
2.Cook on medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms shrink and release moisture.
3.Stir often so the vegetables cook evenly without steaming too much.
simmer · ~3 min
Build the sauce and simmer briefly.
1.Add soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper, red chili powder, salt, and the remaining water.
2.Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer.
3.Cook for 2 minutes so the flavors come together.
mix · ~2 min
Thicken the sauce.
Stir the cornstarch slurry once more, then pour it in slowly while mixing. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and lightly thick.
TIPAdd the slurry gradually; too much at once can make the sauce pasty.
garnish
Finish with spring onion greens.
serve
Serve hot with rice or noodles.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Do not soak the mushrooms after washing; excess water makes them steam instead of taking on the sauce.
2
Crush the fermented black beans lightly, not into a paste, so you get little bursts of salty umami through the dish.
3
Let the mushrooms cook until their released moisture mostly evaporates before adding the sauce ingredients.
4
Rinse the black beans briefly if they seem very salty, then taste the sauce before adding the final pinch of salt.
5
Stir the cornstarch slurry again right before pouring, because it settles fast and can thicken unevenly.
6
Serve immediately after thickening; the glossy sauce is best before it sits and turns too tight.
7
If reheating leftovers, loosen the sauce with a splash of water and heat gently so it turns silky again.