Chinese Black Beans
I wouldn’t really call these “Black Beans”, but they are black and from the bean variety… so, there you go. Actually, these are Fermented Soya Beans and require a little work to get ready, but are a nice savory addition to Chinese dishes. I bought my first box of 豆豉 “Dou Chi”, while preparing Ginger Fish with a leader at my university here in Guangdong province.
If you want to buy authentic beans, look for this package:
Yang Jiang Dou Chi
How to prepare: Basically, consider these black beans as raw materials that have residue from the fermentation process. They are dirty and need a little washing. Rinse them through warm water and let them sit in a bowl while preparing the other ingredients for your dish.
Read about Japanese “Nattō” on wikipedia, which is a watery version and consumed as a breakfast food. Here are some highlights of the medicinal benefits: Reducing the likelihood of various types of blood clots; Preventing or treating “amyloid-type” diseases such as Alzheimer’s[*2009]; Due to large amounts of vitamin K it can assist with bone formation and prevent osteoporosis; It may have a cholesterol-lowering affect[*2006]
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Funny Chinese Blogosphere
Living in China is full of reasons to laugh everyday. Its just so different! Sometimes the differences get old, but there is always room for more laughter. Until recently, there was no way for a Westerner to even understand a smidgen of what I’m talking about until China Smack and China Hush came around. (I personally find China Smack more entertaining…) More social commentary can be found at the China Beat too.
The Internet is one big, open web but in many parts of the world it is not. There is a national firewall in China and other dictatorial states in the world have their own Internet. North Korea has its own Internet too. However, for outsiders looking in, there is still a lot for us to read and discuss; much more than we would have thought in the early-90s. So, go ahead, and enjoy the mini-blogospheres of the world!