 A dish of tianmian sauce | |
| Alternative names | Sweet flour sauce |
|---|---|
| Type | Sauce |
| Place of origin | China |
| Region or state | Northern andNortheastern China,South Korea |
| Associatedcuisine | Chinese cuisine Korean-Chinese cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Flour,salt |
| Ingredients generally used | Soybean |
| Regional names | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 甜面酱 /甜酱 | ||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 甜麵醬 /甜醬 | ||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "sweet flour sauce" / "sweet sauce" | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Korean name | |||||||||||||||
| Hangul | 춘장 | ||||||||||||||
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Tianmian sauce (Chinese:甜麵醬/甜醬; pinyin:tiánmiànjiàngor tiánjiàng), also known assweet bean sauce,sweet flour sauce orsweet wheat paste, is a thick, smooth, dark brown or black paste with either a mild, savory or sweet flavor. It is commonly used inNorthern Chinese cuisine,Northeastern Chinese cuisine,[1] as well asKorean-Chinese cuisine.[2]Peking duck andjajangmyeon are two popular dishes that feature thesauce.
The Chinese wordtiánmiànjiàng (甜麵醬) consists of characters meaning "sweet" (甜), "flour" (麵), and "sauce" (醬). It is also calledtiánjiàng (甜醬), which means "sweet sauce". The origin of the Korean wordchunjang (춘장) is unknown.[3] One theory is that it derived from the wordcheomjang (첨장), which is the Korean reading of the Chinese characters甛醬.[4]
Although terms such as "sweet bean sauce" and "sweet bean paste" are used to describe the sauce, it is primarily made from fermentedwheat flour. A mixture of approximately 19 portions ofwheat flour to one portion ofsoybean is used.[5][clarification needed] Thefermentation starter is made from dried or stalemantou (a steamed bread), wrapped in a variety oftrue melon known asmiangua and then bound and hung in a cool, dark place until completely dried.[5][1] During the fermentation process, the glucose and maltose give the paste its distinctive sweet taste.[6]
Similar tohoisin sauce, sweet bean sauce may be used in dishes such asPeking duck. It is also used as a sweeter substitute for saltieryellow soybean paste. In Northern China, the sauce is also eaten with rawscallions.[5]
There are many different types of sweet bean sauces. Recipes and methods of production vary depending on the geographical region and on manufacturer preferences. In northern China, more sugar is added to the sauce.[citation needed] In southern China,mantou flour instead of sugar is commonly used as the main ingredient. Traditionally, high-quality sweet bean sauces owe their sweet flavor to the fermentation of starches rather than to the addition of refined sugar.
Sweet bean sauce can be found in standardAsian supermarkets under various English names. In Chinese, it is written 甜麵醬.
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In Korea,chunjang (춘장) is most commonly used to makejajang (자장), a black gravy served with a popular noodle dish calledjajangmyeon. Other common dishes withjajang sauce includejajang-bap ("rice withjajang sauce") andjajang-tteok-bokki (stir-fried rice cakes withjajang sauce).[7] Although stir-fryingchunjang to makejajang is the most common use for the sauce,chunjang may also be served as an accompaniment to sliced rawonions. In mostKorean-Chinese restaurants, raw onions,chunjang, anddanmuji (yellow pickled radish) are the basic side dishes.
Koreanchunjang is similar to theShandong-styletiánmiànjiàng, as it was first used inIncheon Chinatown, where the majority of restaurants were run by Chinese immigrants fromShandong.[8] However, now most Korean-Chinese restaurants are run by Koreans, andchunjang has adapted to Korean tastes, as have other Korean-Chinese dishes and ingredients.[7][9]
