Chili Bean Sauce (Toban Djan), 8-Ounce Jars (Pack of 4)

I used this to add complexity to an Asian recipe. Not an easy product to find, it’s not Siracha, not Chile garlic. Not a Salsa or Curry! It IS fermented broad beans & salt cured chilis. A wow!

makes your Ma Po Tofu sparkle

I accidentally a corrupted Mapo Tofu recipe, and it's basically my favorite dish now. Three (large) tbsp this stuff, ~1/3 cup chicken stock or substitute, ~1 tbsp corn starch, ~1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 block tofu. Heat in pan. Eat with rice. I think 2 out of the 4 people I've served this to asked for the recipe. Good stuff.

This is the essential ingredient for the spicy tofu dish that is a signature of Szechuan cuisine. Don't buy the stuff that calls itself "Szechuan" sauce! The sign of the real deal Szechuan sauce is that it contains "broad bean" paste, not just soybean paste, and it has a name more or less like "toban djan," though it can be spelled various ways in Western script. There are other brands, specifically a Japanese one I've bought in Asian groceries that is significantly hotter and redder (so more chilis, I guess), but this one is just fine and easy to get thanks to Amazon.

I used to get a fermented black bean hot sauce in California and have not been able to find anything comparable - until now. This is great sauce - good to add that extra kick to chinese food, dumplings, soups - just about everything. I love it and have already bought 4 more jars to have on hand.

This has been our go-to for Ma Po Tofu, Bibimbap and some other spicy Asian dishes for 20 years. The flavor is richer than chili-garlic paste and much less sweet than Gochujang, and I like it better, even in dishes that traditionally call for Gochujang. The depth of flavor it adds is incredible. It is fairly spicy on a USA spiciness scale, but on an Asian scale, probably medium-low heat. But, that spiciness is tempered with savory notes that will hook you. I haven't really experimented with many other brands, but I doubt you can go wrong with Lee Kum Kee here. Price is good too, and unless you live near an Asian market chances are buying from Amazon is the most convenient option anyway. Highly recommended.

Nothing wrong with the food, but in spite of the double bubble wrapping, only one of the three jars arrived intact. One jar had a broken seal and another was completely shattered.

This sauce is excellent for authentic Chinese dishes! My wife is from China and we love to use this product to make Hot Pot and Ma Po Tofu.