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Guizhou Black Bean Chili Oil (Specialty of Guiyang)
$14
A Black Bean Sauce for Noodles and Stir-Fries
Fermented soybeans, called douchi in Mandarin and black beans in English, is one of the most-loved flavorings of China. While the word umami gets thrown around a lot, fermented soybeans are indeed pure, concentrated umami.
So what happens when you mix douchi into a Guizhou-style chili oil? You guessed it: A sauce that is both spicy and umami and readymade for dressing noodles and stir-fries with minimum effort and maximum effect.
Guizhou Province is the home of the type of chili oil that's chock-full of crispy bits and nuts, preserved vegetables and assorted other flavorings, and on our travels there we discovered not only our Guizhou Chili Crisp but also this Black Bean Chili Oil.
It is made from all-premium ingredients, starting with a base of roasted rapeseed oil and a blend of Guizhou's famous chilies. Guizhou is widely acknowledged as the premier chili producer in China. Its cuisine, like Sichuan’s, relies heavily on chilies, and the locals possess a love of and expertise in chili cultivation.
But the main flavor of this sauce is, of course, savory, earthy fermented soybeans, rounded out with spices, sugar and msg. It is only mild to moderately spicy, with more umami and less heat than our chili oils and crisps.
This black bean chili oil is made to order for us in small batches by a company that has the designation of Guizhou Time-Honored Brand, meaning it has specialized in making chili oils and crisps for decades. Like all of the Mala Market-branded chili oils and sauces, it has no preservatives and is gluten free. Also note its generous size of 8 ounces in a world of 4-6 ounce chili crisps.
How To Use It
An oil-based sauce, this black bean chili oil can be used straight from the jar or in cooked dishes.
Table condiment: Mix directly into a noodle or rice bowl
Cooking ingredient: Add to stir-fries and sub in recipes that call for black bean sauce
A Note on MSG: Monosodium glutamate has been used for decades in Chinese products and recipes. MSG is simply the salt form of glutamic acid, an amino acid that stimulates umami receptors on the tongue. Because it contains 60% less sodium than table salt, many chefs use it to intensify flavor while dramatically reducing salt content in their dishes. That is why you will find a small amount of MSG in some traditional Chinese products and Mala Market-branded sauces.
The belief in the U.S. that MSG is bad for you is based on pseudoscience, as decades of rigorous, double-blind, placebo-controlled scientific studies have repeatedly debunked the myth that MSG causes headaches, numbness or other adverse reactions. Less than 1% of the population may have mild, temporary sensitivities to large doses of MSG (which are also found naturally in tomatoes, cheeses and mushrooms).
Nutrition Facts Servings: 15
Serv. size: 1 Tbsp (15g)
Amount per serving: Calories 89
Total Fat 7g (9% DV), Sat. Fat 0g (0% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 0mg (0% DV), Sodium 328mg (14% DV), Total Carb. 2g (1% DV), Fiber 0g (0% DV), Total Sugars 0g (Incl. 0g Added Sugars, 0% DV), Protein 2g, Vit. D (0% DV), Calcium (0% DV), Iron (0% DV), Potas. (0% DV).
