Fermented black beans, also known as salted black beans or douchi, are beans that have been fermented in salt. They’re a delicious, umami-packed addition to many Chinese dishes. I soak mine in rice wine, preferably Shaoxing or mijiu, but sake will also do. If you can’t find the beans, don’t worry, because even without them, this is a delicious stir-fry. Simply follow the recipe, leaving out the beans, but using the rice wine as listed, then season with salt before serving.
Beef and black bean sauce
Serves 3-4
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2-3 dried Szechuan chillies (optional)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2-3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ broccoli, cut into florets
• 2-3 spring onions, cut into 5cm pieces
For the beef
• 300g beef rump steak
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 tsp gluten-free Shaoxing or other rice wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1½ tbsp gluten-free cornflour
For the sauce
• 4 tbsp fermented black beans
• 50ml gluten-free Shaoxing or other rice wine
• 1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce
• 1½ tbsp gluten-free hoisin sauce
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• 100ml cold water
Method
Trim any excess fat or gristle from the meat, then slice thinly against the grain. Place in a bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients, using your hands to massage the marinade into the meat, making sure each piece is well-coated. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
To prepare the sauce, place the beans in a fine mesh sieve, then rinse well under cold running water. Transfer to a small bowl, add the rice wine, then use a fork to roughly mash about half of them. Set aside to soak for 10-15 minutes. Place the rest of the sauce ingredients in another bowl, mix well to combine, then set aside.
Place a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and swirl it around the pan. Once it’s hot, add the beef, spreading it in a single layer around the base of the wok. Let it sear well before starting to toss to cook on all sides. When the beef is 70-80% cooked (some undercooked spots are fine as the beef will be cooked again at the end), transfer it to a bowl, leaving any excess oil in the wok.
If using, add the dried chillies to the pan and allow them to darken for about 1 minute. Add the onion, red pepper and carrot, then cook for another 1 minute, stirring and tossing regularly. Add the garlic, ginger and broccoli, then toss to combine.
Add the black bean/Shaoxing mixture, then toss well to coat all the vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing regularly, until the vegetables are slightly tender (they should still have a bite to them). Add the beef back to the pan with the remaining sauce ingredients. Toss well, then cook for another minute before adding the spring onions.
Once the spring onions have wilted and the vegetables are cooked through (still a little crunchy), transfer the stir-fry to a large dish and serve immediately.
Pork belly roast with apple + fennel stuffing
This is a crowd-pleasing roast that’s made a little fancy to give it an extra celebratory kick. The stuffing is quick to make and adds a lot of flavour. It also absorbs moisture as the roast cooks, so the stuffing itself is moist and delicious.
Serves 4-6
• boneless pork belly joint (about 1.5kg)
• flaky salt and cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2-3 tsp vegetable oil
• gluten-free gravy, to serve
Stuffing
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
• ½ fennel bulb, finely diced
• 1 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
• 3-4 sage leaves, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
• 1 tsp oregano leaves, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
• 2 slices gluten-free bread, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
During the morning on the day of roasting, remove the pork from its packaging (take note of the weight, as this will affect the cook time). Score the skin with a sharp knife, pat it dry with a paper towel, then place it on a rack set over a roasting tin. Sprinkle generously with 2-3 teaspoons of salt, then refrigerate uncovered for several hours.
Combine all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl, then season with salt and pepper.
Remove the pork from the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour before cooking (this should be 3-4 hours before you plan to serve).
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.
Scrape off the salt, then wipe away remaining moisture with a paper towel. On a dry board, lay 3-4 lengths of kitchen twine horizontally, spaced about 4cm apart. Place the pork skin-side down on top, with a long side closest to you.
Brush the mustard in a light layer over the exposed meat, then add the stuffing in a log shape along the centre of the meat, spreading a little stuffing to the edges of the pork, too. Compact the stuffing into the meat with your hands.
Bring the ends of the pork belly together to encase the stuffing, then use the twine to tie the meat closed (this will be easier if someone helps to tie as you hold the pork belly in place). Tie as tightly as possible and use more twine if needed to ensure it’s secure. Turn the roast over so it is seam-side down, then place back on the (clean) rack over the roasting tin.
Brush the skin all over with a little vegetable oil, then season well with salt. Place in the centre of the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes until the skin has crackled. Reduce the temperature to 180°C, then cook for a further 30 minutes per 500g.
Once cooked, remove the meat from the oven. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with gravy and sides.
Note: The stuffing ingredients can be chopped by hand, but I use a food processor, as everything needs to be finely chopped to produce a stuffing that will hold together when squeezed.
An edited extract from Gluten-Free Feasts, by Melanie Persson (Hardie Grant Books, $50 hb).
