Homemade Doubanjiang with Broad Beans

This has nothing whatsoever to do with sourdough, but in the spirit of fermentation, here is how to make doubanjiang. In our house, where Chinese food is a constant — mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, gyoza — it is indispensable.

Doubanjiang is made by fermenting broad beans and then curing them with salt and chilli. Shop-bought doubanjiang has a great deal in it, and you would hardly know it was a broad bean miso; make it yourself and the aroma of the beans comes through clearly, and you realise what a flavourful condiment it is.

The broad bean season is nearly over, so let's make some together.

Ingredients:

• Broad beans, 7–10 pods (120g of beans, podded)
• Flour1 tbsp
• Dried chilli40g
• Salt40g
• Water160cc

Step 1 — Preparing the broad beans

1. Pod the beans and steam them for three to four minutes, until a bamboo skewer goes through.

2. Once steamed, let them cool a little, then separate the skins from the beans. Tear the skins into small pieces and split each bean in two.

3. Move everything into a bowl and add 1 tbsp of flour. Mix by hand until the flour coats it all evenly.

Step 2 — Fermenting the beans

4. Spread mixture 3 out in a colander and put it somewhere indoors with low humidity.

5. Twice a day, morning and evening, mix it and turn it over so all of it meets the air.

6. Repeat step 5 daily for five to seven days, until it is completely dry.

7. After five days, once the beans are thoroughly dry, move them to a bowl and mix in the measured chilli, salt and water.

8. Move it to a storage container and stir it once a day for a month while it ferments. Leave the lid slightly ajar rather than sealing it.

* The photographs show a batch made at about five times the quantities listed.