Sentient Black Bean Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin Sauce

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 “veganice” 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.

Print Recipe

Sentient Black Bean Hoisin Sauce

Sauce – Dadaji Fusion Recipes

By SS Shiva – Serves: 2 cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 50 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Nutritional Benefits: Black beans are rich in both insoluble and soluble fiber, which supports digestive health, promotes satiety, and may reduce symptoms of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. They also provide magnesium, riboflavin, thiamine, potassium, folate, zinc, phosphorus, and sodium, all of which help 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-associated macular degeneration, while also supplying immune-boosting vitamin C for overall health.

Ingredients

• 1 cup black beans, cooked until soft
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in sesame oil
• 3 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon tahini paste
• 1 medium stalk fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 dried chili or sambal olek (optional)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

Instructions

1

Place cooked beans in a mortar and mash into a smooth paste; set aside.

2

Heat sesame oil in a pot and sauté the dried chili, fennel stalk, black pepper, and grated ginger for about 4 minutes.

3

Transfer the sautéed ingredients along with the remaining ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

4

Pour the mixture into a pot and bring to a boil while continuously stirring for 20 to 30 minutes until it thickens.

5

When the sauce begins to boil, stir in the mashed beans and cook until the mixture returns to a boil.

6

Allow the sauce to cool and taste for a balanced blend of sweet, sour, salty, and pungent flavors; adjust seasonings as needed.

7

Transfer the sauce to a bottle, top with roasted sesame oil, secure with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

8

Serve the sauce with vegetable stir-fry, tofu, bok choy, or spinach.

Nutrition

• 228.0 Calories
• 29.3g Carbohydrates
• 0.0mg Cholesterol
• 9.0g Fat
• 7.0g Fiber
• 9.3g Protein
• 1.3g Saturated fat
• 938.0mg Sodium
• 4.5g Sugar
• 0.0g Trans fat

Notes

This is a sentient version of hoisin sauce, adapted from traditional Chinese cuisine. Feel free to experiment with the flavors and be creative. You can also add some nori algae for a subtle sea flavor.