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1
Soak broad beans overnight in cool water; drain and rinse thoroughly.
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2
Steam beans for 45 minutes until completely tender; cool and crush lightly with a fork — do not pulverise.
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3
Toast flour in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until pale tan; cool.
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4
Combine crushed beans, toasted flour, salt, and water in a glass vessel; fold until cohesive — texture should resemble wet sand with distinct bean pieces.
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5
Toast Sichuan peppercorns briefly if using; crush and stir through paste.
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6
Cover with cheesecloth; ferment in cool, dark conditions (12–15°C ideal) for minimum 6 months, stirring weekly.
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7
At 6 months: young, fruity, peppery — use in mapo tofu, chilli oils. At 2+ years: deep, funky, complex — use sparingly as umami base.
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8
Transfer to sterilised jars; keep refrigerated or cool storage indefinitely.
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9
USE: 1–2 tbsp (20–40 g) per dish as foundation for Sichuan cuisine; blooms in hot oil before sauce construction.
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10
DOUBANJIANG (Sichuan Fermented Bean Paste)
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11
Yield: 750 ml jar | Fermentation: 6–36 months
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12
500 g dried fava beans (or yellow soybeans)
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13
150 g fine sea salt
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14
20 g koji (Aspergillus oryzae) or koji powder
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15
150 ml filtered water (for initial hydration)
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16
Soak dried beans overnight in cold water; drain and cook in fresh water until completely tender (1.5–2 hours), then drain thoroughly.
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17
Inoculate cooled beans with koji powder; spread on clean cloth and ferment at 18–22°C (64–72°F) for 5–7 days until white mycelium develops.
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18
Transfer koji-colonized beans to sterilized glass jar; mix in sea salt (approximately 25–30% by weight of beans).
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19
Cover with muslin and ferment in sunlight at 15–20°C (59–68°F) for minimum 6 months; aged 2–3 years develops richer, more complex profile.
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20
Stir twice weekly during first month, then weekly; paste will gradually darken and intensify.
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21
Once fermentation is complete, transfer to airtight container and refrigerate.
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22
FRESH (6 months): fruity, slightly sweet, lighter colour. AGED (24+ months): deeper umami, denser texture, mahogany colour. Use 1–2 tbsp per dish.
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23
For mapo tofu: fry doubanjiang with garlic and ginger first, add stock, then tofu — this sequence extracts maximum flavour
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24
A teaspoon of doubanjiang added to any meat braise adds a savoury depth that is impossible to identify but impossible to miss
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25
For the characteristic Sichuan red oil, fry 3–4 tablespoons of aged doubanjiang in 100ml neutral oil until the oil is deeply red, then strain — this becomes a condiment in its own right
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26
Combined with black bean paste (douchi) for mapo tofu for additional fermented depth
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27
Keeps refrigerated for months — the fermentation continues slowly
