黄豆酱 | huángdòu jiàng

Soybean paste

This is one of my favorite Chinese base condiment, and in my opinion, it’s really underrated compared to Sichuan chili bean paste and other louder, spicier sauces. The rich, salty fermented taste of a good basic yellow soybean paste will deepen the flavors of any braised dish or soup without overwhelming the dish or changing its color. Because the paste is mild in flavor, it’s a versatile condiment for vegetable stir-fries, tofu dishes, and braised dishes where you want extra umami but don’t want the dark color of soy sauce or the heat of bean paste with chiles.

What brand should I buy?

Look for jars containing a liquidy yellow-brown paste with floating whole and broken piece of soybeans. It should smell and taste like a good soy sauce. The ingredients will often contain soybeans, water, salt, sugar, and sodium nucleotide (a flavor-enhancing salt). My current favorite is this red-labeled jar called Super Brand labeled “Soya Bean Sauce,” but any other similar product should work. It’s sometimes sold as “salted soybeans.” Fermented soybean paste originates from Chaozhou, a city in Guangdong province.