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Fermented bean paste is a category offermented foods typically made from groundsoybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines ofEast,South andSoutheast Asia. In some cases, such as the production ofmiso, other varieties of beans, such asbroad beans, may also be used.[1]
The pastes are usually salty andsavoury, but may also be spicy, and are used as acondiment to 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 ofwheat flour, pulverizedmantou,rice, orsugar and 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.[2][3]
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 ofsalt used in its production, produces a highlyumami product. This is particularly true with miso, which can be used as the primary ingredient in certain dishes, such asmiso soup.
Various types of fermented bean paste (all of which are based on soy and cereal grains) include:
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