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Douchi
豆豉: black soybeans cooked, moulded, salted, fermented and dried into pungent, savoury beans
Yangjiang in western Guangdong and Liuyang in Hunan are the two great douchi towns, and both traditionally make their fermented black beans in the dry season, when beans can be moulded indoors and dried in the sun without spoiling. Cooked black soybeans are covered until a yellow-green koji mould grows over them, then washed, salted, packed and fermented for weeks before drying. The result is wrinkled, soft-chewy beans with an intense salty, savoury, almost chocolate-dark flavour. A spoonful steamed with spare ribs or a whole fish, stir-fried with bitter melon or pounded into Hunan's chilli dishes seasons the whole plate. At home, buying koji spores (Aspergillus oryzae) is far more reliable than waiting for wild moulds. Common mistake: letting the beans sit wet or warm in a sealed container during the moulding stage; they must breathe at 28–32 °C. Good koji smells sweet and chestnut-like; discard any batch with black, pink or bright coloured mould, slime or a rotten smell. Keep the salt as given. It is ready when the beans are dark, wrinkled and dry outside but supple within. Store dried douchi in the fridge for 1 year. Chef's tip: rinse and lightly crush the beans before cooking.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the beans
- 1 ⅛ lb dried black soybeans
- oz koji spores (Aspergillus oryzae)from fermentation suppliers
For the ferment
- 3 ⅛ oz saltabout 15% of the cooked weight
- 1 oz fresh gingerfinely chopped
- ½ cup cool boiled water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Wash the 1 ⅛ lb dried black soybeans and soak them in plenty of water for 12 hours, until plump with no hard core.
5 minStep 2: Drain and steam over a high heat for 90–120 minutes (or pressure-cook for 25 minutes), until a bean crushes easily between finger and thumb but still holds its shape.
120 minStep 3: Spread the beans on a clean tray to cool to about 95°F and lose surface moisture; they should be just damp, not wet.
15 minStep 4: Sprinkle oz koji spores (Aspergillus oryzae) over the beans and mix well. Spread 2–3 cm deep on a clean cloth-lined tray, cover loosely with a cloth, and keep at 28–90°F (an oven with only the light on works) for 3–5 days, stirring once a day.
Step 5: Check daily. It is ready when the beans are knitted together by a yellow-green, sweet-smelling mould. Discard if you see black, pink or bright orange mould, slime, or smell ammonia or rot.
Step 6: Rinse the beans briefly in cool water to remove the loose spores, then drain well. Toss with 3 ⅛ oz salt, 1 oz fresh ginger and ½ cup cool boiled water.
15 minStep 7: Wash a 1 litre jar in hot soapy water and boil it for 10 minutes; dry. Pack the beans in tightly, press down, cover, and ferment in a cool place (below 68°F) or the fridge for 2–3 weeks, until they turn deep black and smell intensely savoury.
10 minStep 8: Spread the beans on trays and dry in the sun for 2–3 days, or in a 140°F oven with the door ajar for 4–6 hours, until the outside is dry and wrinkled but the inside is still slightly soft. Cool, then store in a clean airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 year; discard if mould appears.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 42 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does douchi take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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