Fermented bean paste

A bowl ofdoenjang,Korean fermented soybean paste

Fermented bean pasteis a category offermented foodstypically made from groundsoybeans,which are indigenous to the cuisines ofEast,SouthandSoutheast Asia.In some cases, such as the production ofmiso,other varieties of beans, such asbroad beans,may also be used.

The pastes are usually salty andsavoury,but may also be spicy, and are used as acondimentto flavour foods such asstir-fries,stews, and soups. The colours of such pastes range from light tan to reddish brown and dark brown. The differences in colour are due to different production methods, such as the conditions of fermentation, the addition ofwheatflour, pulverizedmantou,rice,orsugarand the presence of differentmicroflora,such as bacteria or molds used in their production, as well as whether the soybeans are roasted (as inchunjang) or aged (as intauco) before being ground.

Fermented bean pastes are sometimes the starting material used in producing soy sauces, such astamari,or an additional product created from the same fermented mass. The paste is also the main ingredient ofhoisin sauce.

Due to the protein content of the beans, the fermentation process releases a large amount of freeamino acids,which when combined with the large amounts ofsaltused in its production, produces a highlyumamiproduct. This is particularly true with miso, which can be used as the primary ingredient in certain dishes, such asmiso soup.

Types

Various types of fermented bean paste (all of which are based on soy and cereal grains) include:

Food	Cuisine of	Region
Cheonggukjang	Korea	East Asia
Da gian g	China	East Asia
Doenjang	Korea	East Asia
Douban gian g	China	East Asia
Douchi	China	East Asia
Gochujang	Korea	East Asia
Huang gian g (yellow soybean paste)	China	East Asia
Hawaizaar	Manipur,India	South Asia
Kinema	Nepal	South Asia
Miso	Japan	East Asia
Pon ye gyi	Myanmar(Burma)	Southeast Asia
Tauco	Indonesia	Southeast Asia
Tauchu,Taucu, Tocu	Malaysia,China (Southern Min)	Southeast AsiaandEast Asia
Tao Jiew	Thailand	Southeast Asia
Tianmian gian g	China	East Asia
Tương	Vietnam	Southeast Asia
Thua nao	Myanmar(Burma,Shan people),Laos,Thailand	Southeast Asia
Tungrymbai	Meghalaya,India	South Asia

See also

• Bean dip
• List of fermented soy products
• Sweet bean paste