<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Original Post:
I am looking for a pre-made black bean sauce (for asian cooking) that is 
gluten free.

Or does anyone have a recipe? I googled it but all recipes called for 
"fermented black beans", which I don't know how to make, nor do I know where 
to buy this.

I have not checked an asian grocery store yet, only Whole Foods, as that was 
on my way to somewhere else yesterday...

Any suggestions are welcome.

The Responses:
We buy ours at Asian stores in the SF Bay. We bought this at Marina Foods in 
Cupertino, but there are other markets in our area that carry the product. 
The brand is Delicious by Union International Foods Company, Hawyard, CA 
94545. Product SKU 7-1738521016. We have purchased other products with this 
same manufacturer.

I use Sun Luck Black Bean Garlic Sauce. I wrote the company and they said 
there was no gluten however, yada yada yada cya.... I have had no problems 
at all and I am extremely sensitive. It is a product of the USA and the only 
questionable ingredient on the list is caramel color which is usually ok if 
American. Also, since they said there was no gluten, I'm assuming it's fine. 
It is the ONLY one I have found! Since I'm afraid to eat in an oriental 
restaurant, I do my own. It's fun!

Asian black beans are usually GF but not the black bean "sauce".  You can 
buy them in asian markets and maybe whole foods. Just buy a bag of asian 
black beans, rinse, mince and include in your recipe.  You can add some GF 
soy sauce to make it saucy.

Re: all recipes called for "fermented black beans",
Those are available at an Oriental or Asian Grocery...basically black beans 
cured in salt.  Check you local phone book for ethnic grocer, probably under 
Grocery and supermarkets.

You can buy femented black beans at the Oriental Pantry online
if you can't find them in an Asian market.  They keep a long time in the 
freezer.

You can find fermented black beans in an asian market.  I used to be able to 
find them everywhere in NY, but now that I'm in the south, it took me quite 
a while to track it down.  They come in a small can.  You just rinse and 
use.

Check out 'Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon; on
page 496, she gives a recipe for basic [fermented or
soaked] beans.
I soak the beans with apple cider vinegar for at least
12 hrs, drain. I then put the beans in a dutch oven
[iron fry pan with 4 or 5 inch high sides], pour water
in to cover beans. Bring to a boil and skim off foam;
reduce heat. I then drain the beans, and put them in a
crockpot [high for 6-8 hrs; low for overnight plus].

My Experience:
I looked at a couple more ethnic food stores here in my area - although I 
can definitely say I haven't explored all of Chicago - and still haven't 
found a pre-made gf sauce. And it hasn't been that much of a priority to me 
to order it online yet, esp since I only have one recipe that uses it so 
far. I have plenty of other recipes I can try and won't be disappointed to 
not make this *particular* recipe. I just figured it would be fairly easy to 
find when I cut out the recipe. Apparently I would need to go quite a bit 
out of my way.

I did find a small can of black beans, so maybe someday soon when I have 
some extra time on my hands I will make my own black bean sauce using all 
the recipes I found for it! And it appears to me that asian black beans are 
actually black soybeans, not the hispanic-type black *turtle* beans.

Thanks for all the advice.

Renee

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