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ccncwby OP t1_j9tbzpd wrote

Reply to comment by Shiny_and_ChromeOS in [Homemade] Sichuanese Spicy Beef Noods! by ccncwby

Ahh interesting! I've never come across it but am definitely going to seek it out next time. I've definitely been using a different variety this entire time lol. Hope I'm not doing Sichuan cuisine a huge injustice 😭

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Shiny_and_ChromeOS t1_j9teefj wrote

Your recipe is fabulous! Food is a function of its time and place. With all the other ingredients adding such robust flavors, a variance in bean paste is no cause for concern. If anything it makes it a little special as your own unique experience. Besides broad bean pastes wildly vary in flavor and consistency within their own category. The store bought dryer variety is heavy on the beans and not as spicy. Another brand I got from the restaurant supply store was spicier and crazy salty. The brand our restaurant ended up sourcing from a Union Foods importer in New York City is the most liquid and runny one I've used because it's blended with sesame oil and so much chili sauce that it's a vivid red.

BTW if you enjoy the pungent notes from star anise, you may also enjoy cardamom but be very careful. A little cardamom goes a long way. Our entire vat of braising liquid uses only a couple of pods.

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ccncwby OP t1_j9tf9yc wrote

Ahh man you make me want to explore all these varieties of bean pastes, they all sound unique and delicious in their own way!

The chilli oil I use in this recipe is also home-made, and the oil is infused with black cardamom as well as cloves 😉 I love using these pungent spices for their smells, they create such amazing and complex aromas!

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RuralCaribou t1_j9vos4p wrote

Learn from comments and prepare from the masters in your cuisine. Watching and learning from your top chefs in your Sichuan style will teach you technique. Your bowl is beautiful.

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ccncwby OP t1_j9vrafx wrote

Thank you! Yup I definitely intend to repeat this at some point in the future but stick to an incredibly authentic recipe, to re-establish a sort of baseline for what it should be lol. Absolutely I think it's important to understand the origins and flavours of provincial cuisines. That being said I'm not deceiving myself by thinking this recipe is ultra authentic, rather it's been adjusted and tweaked to my own personal preferences using provincial flavours/spices.

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