Yellow soybean paste
Encyclopedia
Yellow soybean paste is a fermented paste
made from yellow soybean
s, salt, and water; wheat flour, though not formerly used, is often used as an additional ingredient in the modern day, and potassium sorbate
may also be used as a preservative. Yellow soybean paste is produced in China
and is used primarily in Beijing cuisine
and other cuisines of northern China
.
Yellow soybean paste is used most notably in the noodle dish called zhajiang mian
. Though outside Beijing sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
are often used as substitutes. In this dish, the yellow soybean paste is fried together with ground pork
, then poured over the top of thick wheat flour noodles. Unlike sweet bean sauce, yellow soybean paste is salty rather than sweet.
overseas, and comes in plastic packages, bottled or in tins.
Fermented bean paste
Fermented bean paste is a category of fermented foods typically made from ground soybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia...
made from yellow soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s, salt, and water; wheat flour, though not formerly used, is often used as an additional ingredient in the modern day, and potassium sorbate
Potassium sorbate
Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, chemical formula C6H7KO2. Its primary use is as a food preservative . Potassium sorbate is effective in a variety of applications including food, wine, and personal care products....
may also be used as a preservative. Yellow soybean paste is produced in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and is used primarily in Beijing cuisine
Beijing cuisine
Beijing cuisine is a cooking style in Beijing, China. It is also known as Mandarin cuisine.-Background:Since Beijing has been the Chinese capital city for centuries, its cuisine has been influenced by culinary traditions from all over China, but the cuisine that has exerted the greatest influence...
and other cuisines of northern China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
.
Description
Despite its name, the paste is not yellow in color; it ranges from light to dark brown, or even black. The name comes from the fact that it is made from yellow soybeans, called huángdòu (黄豆) in Chinese. Although it would seem that the complete name in Chinese should be huángdòu jiàng (黄豆酱; literally "yellow soybean paste"), the word dòu (豆) is generally not used when referring to this paste.Yellow soybean paste is used most notably in the noodle dish called zhajiang mian
Zhajiang mian
Zha jiang mian is a northern Chinese dish consisting of thick wheat noodles topped with a mixture of ground pork stir-fried with Zha jiang , which is salty fermented soybean paste....
. Though outside Beijing sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce, or haixian sauce, is a Chinese dipping sauce. The word hoisin is a romanization of the Chinese word for seafood "" as pronounced in Cantonese.-Ingredients:...
are often used as substitutes. In this dish, the yellow soybean paste is fried together with ground pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
, then poured over the top of thick wheat flour noodles. Unlike sweet bean sauce, yellow soybean paste is salty rather than sweet.
Availability
Yellow soybean paste is widely available in China, as well as in Chinese grocery storesAsian supermarket
An Asian supermarket, sometimes called an "Oriental supermarket", is a grocery store in non-Asian countries that stocks items imported from the many countries in East and Southeast Asia. They carry items and ingredients generally well-suited for Asian cuisines and not found in most Western...
overseas, and comes in plastic packages, bottled or in tins.
Other varieties
In recent years, a new form of yellow soybean paste, called "dry yellow soybean paste" (干黄酱, pinyin: gān huángjiàng; or 干酱, pinyin: gān jiàng), has been developed, and is widely available in plastic packages. Its texture is drier than that of regular yellow soybean paste (due to its lower water content), allowing for easier transportation and keeping. Dry yellow soybean paste is used in a similar manner as regular yellow soybean paste, but, when using the dry form, water is first added to dilute it, and then it is added to the dish; if it is added directly to a dish, the amount of water added to the dish should be adjusted accordingly.See also
- MisoMisois a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus , the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso...
(Japanese-style soybean paste) - DoenjangDoenjangDoenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. Its name literally means "thick paste" in Korean.-Production:...
(Korean-style soybean paste) - Fermented bean pasteFermented bean pasteFermented bean paste is a category of fermented foods typically made from ground soybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia...