Fermented Bean Paste Blown Dry

Fermented Bean Paste Blown Dry

　　In the rural areas around Xinzhen Town in Nanzheng County, many households hang strings of cooked, spicy fermented bean paste wrapped in straw under the eaves or in cool, ventilated spots on their walls — it’s a signature dish served to entertain relatives and friends.

　　Every year after winter sets in, families seal cooked beans in airtight containers to ferment. After about half a month, the beans solidify into a block, grow white mold, then the containers are opened and the mixture is combined with an appropriate amount of chili powder, tsao-ko, star anise, prickly ash oil, cornmeal, and a little liquor, before being sealed again for ten days until it's ready. Come early spring, the spicy bean paste is formed into small rounds, wrapped in soft, slender straw, and hung in cool, ventilated areas where it can be preserved for up to a year without losing its flavor — locals call it “blown-dry fermented bean paste.”

　　When serving guests, the blown-dry fermented bean paste is stir-fried with cured meat in vegetable oil, just a few flips in the pan and it’s done. The flavor is rich, pure, and well-rounded, with the bean paste turning a golden-red and the cured meat glistening — truly mouthwatering. (Adapted from Baidu Baike)