Bean paste is a common condiment. The main raw materials are broad beans and peppers. It tastes spicy and is deeply loved by people. Many people think that bean paste is from Sichuan. In fact, bean paste is the habit of making bean paste in all provinces of the country, but the most famous is Pixian bean paste in Sichuan, so when it comes to bean paste, people will think of Sichuan.

Pixian bean paste is so famous because of its production technology and climate, and its biggest characteristics are spicy, red, fragrant and oily.

Sichuan cuisine is the most popular dish in China, with spicy taste, in which Pixian bean paste is indispensable, and many famous dishes are indispensable.

bean paste is red in color and fragrant in taste, which can add color and flavor to dishes. With Pixian bean paste, an ordinary piece of tofu can become "lively and fragrant", which is why Mapo tofu is a classic Sichuan dish. It is precisely because of the advantages of bean paste that most families now prepare a bottle of bean paste for cooking, which is not only good-looking but also delicious.

However, there are many kinds of bean paste in the supermarket, some are cheap and some are expensive. How can I buy authentic Pixian bean paste?

Pixian bean paste

Many bean pastes are "selling dog meat by hanging sheep's head", and the word "Pixian" is written, which is actually not the origin of Pixian county at all, so be sure to distinguish carefully when buying.

There are several grades of authentic Pixian bean paste, with high grade and high quality, good taste and taste, which are generally divided into three categories: super grade, first grade, second grade and these, and there is also a red oil bean paste.

Premium product-reddish brown in color, glossy and oily, with strong sauce and spicy flavor, fresh taste, mellow spicy taste, crisp petals, slag melting and long aftertaste.

First-class product-light red and brown in color, shiny and slightly oily, with sauce flavor and spicy flavor, and slightly inferior in taste.

second-class products-red or light reddish brown in color, shiny, with sauce-ester fragrance and spicy fragrance. Fresh and spicy, crisp petals, slag melting.

Red oil bean paste-bright red color, characterized by more red oil, but its taste and taste are not as good as the above three kinds. Its fermentation time is relatively short, only 3~6 months, and its nutrition and umami taste are relatively low.

for bean paste, the longer the fermentation time, the better the nutrition, taste and taste, and the more expensive it is.

consumers can buy bean paste according to their own needs. For example, the catering industry should not only ensure the color, flavor and cost, but also buy red oil bean paste. For home use, I suggest you buy super or first-class bean paste. Although it is more expensive, it tastes better. After all, you eat it yourself.

Skills of buying Pixian bean paste

Don't buy these four kinds of sauces no matter how cheap they are. They are probably fake Pixian bean paste.

The first kind of very red bean paste

The color of bean paste is a direct criterion for judging the quality, and the normal color is reddish brown or light reddish brown. If the color is found to be very red, it means that the fermentation time is too short, and the merchant artificially added pigment to increase the color.

The second kind of non-sticky bean paste

Bean paste is made after a long period of fermentation, with low water content and rich oil, and the paste feels very sticky after stirring. The non-sticky bean paste shows that it contains a lot of water and belongs to inferior bean paste.

the third kind of bean paste with too salty taste

Pixian bean paste is authentic, with rich and spicy flavor, delicious taste and moderate salty taste. Poor-quality bean paste has a short fermentation time, so it has a lot of water and a weak taste. Merchants will add a lot of salt to enhance the taste, so it is best not to buy this kind.

the fourth kind of bean paste containing impurities

The high-quality bean paste is fried with hot oil, and its color is bright red with a lot of red oil. Inferior bean paste will turn black after frying due to more impurities, which will affect the color and taste.

How to use bean paste

Most people use bean paste, which is fried directly in the pot, which is wrong. The correct way is to put it on the chopping board and chop it with a knife, and then fry it in oil, so that it tastes good, and it is easier to produce red oil and has a stronger fragrance. .