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Tongchuan 3-Year Fermented Soybeans (Handcrafted Chinese Black Beans, Douchi)
$15
Sichuan’s heritage fermented black beans
Fermented soybeans are called “black beans” in the U.S. and douchi in China, but we just call them umami bombs, since they pack so much salty, earthy flavor in such a little bean. An even older Chinese condiment than soy sauce, douchi are a fixture of Cantonese cuisine, used for making “black bean sauce” dishes. But they are also beloved in other parts of China, including Sichuan, where they are made in a different style and result in a different texture and taste.
Sichuan fermented black beans are plump and moist, whereas Cantonese beans are drier and covered in salt, but the two styles are generally interchangeable in Chinese recipes. Cantonese beans are generally rinsed before use to remove the excess salt and plump them up; Sichuan douchi should not be rinsed.
Unlike other douchi on the market, these are fermented a full three years in earthenware crocks in a craft recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, developing a deep flavor unique to their process and northern Sichuan environment.
While many douchi are fermented with wheat, these are not. They are gluten-free, as well as additive-free and preservative-free.
Heritage Process
In Sichuan, yellow soybeans are steamed, inoculated with qu (koji) and left to grow snowy mold. They are then mixed with salt and water in a large earthenware jar, sealed and left to ferment. It’s believed the porous clay allows the beans to interact with the environment in a way that makes them a distinct product of their terroir.
While supermarket black beans are aged from six months to a year, these premium, handcrafted douchi are aged in their jars for a full three years, intensifying the umami and depth of flavor.
After fermentation, the soybeans end up deep black in color (hence their English name), plump and moist in texture, and intensely salty-savory in flavor. These douchi are individual, distinct beans, but soft and delicate, with a strong fragrance from their high moisture content.
History + Honors
These douchi are called Tongchuan, named after the historical county in northern Sichuan (now Santai County, in Mianyang City) where they were first commercially made, in 1670!
As with most heritage products, at one point the originating area had many makers, which have since consolidated into one company that carries the brand name. Though the factory has been modernized in recent decades, they still ferment the soybeans using the traditional clay crocks (that we photographed above). The company has been owned, for the first time, by a woman since its transition back from state to private hands.
Tongchuan is a China Time-Honored Brand and has Geographic Indication. The craft of making Tongchuan douchi even has National Intangible Cultural Heritage status, a rarity for food.
Compare To
While similar to Cantonese fermented soy beans, Sichuan’s douchi are more plump and moist and are not covered in salt or other ingredients that need to be rinsed off. Do not rinse these before use.
It is rare to find a preserved black bean in the U.S. that has been fermented more than six months or a year, but these Tongchuan douchi are fermented in earthenware crocks for a full three years, for a more intense, deep flavor.
Tongchuan makes only douchi products, a focus that allows it to produce the very best.
How To Use It
Recipes in U.S. cookbooks may tell you to rinse fermented black beans, since previously only the Cantonese varieties were available here. But unlike the more-familiar Cantonese black beans, which are dry and covered in salt, these should not be rinsed before use to clean or rehydrate, as they don't need it. They are ready to cook with.
Douchi are fermented with a salt brine, however, and are, therefore, salty. They are used as a seasoning, and 1-2 tablespoons are generally sufficient to flavor a whole stir-fry or steamed dish.
They are normally added to dishes whole, but the longer they cook, the more than break down into the sauce. Cook briefly to retain whole beans. Conversely, if you find whole beans too salty or funky from fermentation, cook longer or chop roughly before adding.
Storage
Packaged in a plastic jar, this product should be kept tightly sealed and refrigerated once opened.
Properly stored fermented foods do not spoil and can last indefinitely in the refrigerator if not cross-contaminated. Use your senses—appearance and aroma—as the ultimate guide.
Ingredients + Nutrition
Size: 268g (9.5 oz)
Ingredients: soybean, water, salt
Allergens: soybean
Gluten Free
Nutrition Facts Servings: 18
Serv. size: 1 Tbsp (15g)
Amount per serving: Calories 31
Total Fat 1g (1% DV), Sat. Fat 0g (0% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 0mg (0% DV), Sodium 864mg (38% DV), Total Carb. 3g (1% DV), Fiber 0g (0% DV), Total Sugars 0g (Incl. 0g Added Sugars, 0% DV), Protein 3g, Vit. D (0% DV), Calcium (0% DV), Iron (0% DV), Potas. (0% DV).
Famous Cantonese dishes featuring a douchi sauce include chicken with black bean sauce, black bean clams, black bean steamed pork ribs, and fish steamed with black bean sauce
One of Sichuan's official complex flavor profiles, "homestyle" flavor often includes fermented soybeans—used in mapo tofu, twice-cooked pork and this salt-fried pork
