Chinese fermented black beans (known in Cantonese as dou si) are powerful little umami bombs - they add an intense, rich savouriness to whatever they're cooked with. They are made from soy beans ...

with fermented black beans, fine slivers of dried tangerine peel and thin slices of salted pork fat for a heartier Cantonese version; or fermented black beans, dried chillies and toasted Sichuan ...

The saving grace? His homemade black bean garlic sauce. Made from fermented black soy beans and a handful of other pantry ingredients, it keeps nicely in the fridge for a few weeks, ready to pull ...

You can buy fermented black beans in Asian grocers or supermarkets to make your own black bean sauce. They are preserved in salt and should be rinsed well before using. FAQs about BBC Food ...

Dim sum is Cantonese breakfast ... marinated in salty black fermented soy beans.