Sentient Black Bean Hoisin Sauce

Name: Sentient Black Bean Hoisin Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup black beans (cooked until soft); 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in sesame oil); 3 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar; 1 tablespoon tahini paste; 1 medium fennel bulb (chopped); 1 tablespoon miso paste; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 0.33 cup soy sauce (to taste); 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 1 dried chili or sambal oelek (optional); 1 teaspoon grated ginger; 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil (for topping)

Por Dada Shivananda·Intermedio

In cuisines around the world, sauces for grilled recipes are unique. This is a western take on a classic Chinese BBQ sauce—a thick, spicy, and savory glaze made from fermented beans and spices that transforms your stir-fries into something sentient.

When you make a homemade "veganized" version, you control what ingredients you use. It becomes easier to select healthier options such as dark brown sugar (or honey), natural sesame butter, and a fresh fennel bulb to replace garlic from the original recipe.

Store-bought hoisin sauce typically contains garlic and sometimes wheat starch, making it non-gluten-free. The umami flavor of hoisin sauce comes from fermented beans. Achieving that authentic fermented taste at home can be challenging—that's why we use miso in this recipe.

The most common miso is made from fermented soybean paste. Three types of miso offer different flavor profiles: red (or dark-brown) miso, which is a tad salty with an intense umami flavor; shiro (white) miso, which is milder due to its shorter fermentation period; and yellow miso, which is fermented longer than white but shorter than dark miso.

Miso not only delivers a robust flavor but also provides gut health benefits through fermentation. It's rich in protein and essential plant compounds that support heart health, stabilize blood sugar, and boost immunity.

Our homemade Sentient Black Bean Hoisin Sauce tastes truly sentient and even better than store-bought versions. Add a simple, subtle flavor to your stir-fries with this delicious sauce.

Nutritional Benefits: Black beans are rich in both insoluble and soluble fiber, supporting digestive health, promoting satiety, and reducing symptoms of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. They provide magnesium, riboflavin, thiamine, potassium, folate, zinc, and phosphorus—nutrients that protect bones and lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Sun-dried tomatoes offer a high concentration of lycopene, an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and age-related macular degeneration, while supplying immune-boosting vitamin C for overall health.