Soybean sauce is an essential vegetarian dish in Vietnamese cuisine. This dish stands out thanks to the perfect combination of the soft and creamy texture of soybeans and the distinctive aroma of roasted rice powder and soy sauce. Today, let’s join LotusBuddhas in the kitchen to make this dish!
Preparation: 20 minutes – Processing: 3 hours – Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 250g Soybeans
- 40g Rice
- 2/3 tablespoon Salt
- 150g Brown Sugar
- 100ml Soy Sauce
How to choose good soybeans
It is advisable to choose fresh soybeans, free from mold and with no unusual spots on the surface. The soybeans should be ivory white, evenly sized, and without many damaged or discolored beans. The soybean shells should be intact and not showing signs of sprouting. When smelled, they should have a light, characteristic, and rich aroma of soybeans.
Directions
1. Soak the soybeans
Wash 250g of dried soybeans thoroughly, remove any damaged or moldy beans. Then, soak the soybeans in cold water for about 8 hours. The soybeans will expand to about 500g and become softer after soaking overnight.
2. Cook the soybeans
After overnight soaking, take the soybeans, rinse them briefly with cold water, and drain. Put the pot on the stove, add the cleaned soybeans, then add 3 liters of water and cook on low heat for 3 hours or until the soybeans are soft. While waiting for the soybeans to cook, regularly remove the foam from the surface to make the broth clearer.
3. Roast the rice and grind it into powder
Put a pan on the stove over low heat. Add rice and roast until the rice turns slightly yellow. Then, use a blender to grind the roasted rice into powder.
4. Make soybean sauce
When soybeans are soft, add 100ml of soy sauce, 2/3 tablespoon of salt, and 150g of brown sugar (or white sugar) one by one and stir well.
Cover the pot and let it simmer over medium heat. While waiting, mix the ground rice with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 3 minutes for the rice powder to expand. Then slowly add the rice mixture to the pot and stir gently. Adjust the seasoning to your family’s taste. Cook until the soybean sauce boils and reaches the desired thickness, then turn off the heat. After the sauce cools, put it in a jar and save it for later use.
5. Finished product
After making, soybean sauce will have an eye-catching dark brown color, and the sweet and nutty taste of soybeans will make your family’s meals more delicious and attractive. This dish is suitable to eat with rice, dip with boiled vegetables, or used to prepare other delicious vegetarian dishes. I hope the above instructions can help you cook this dish successfully in the kitchen!
How to store soybean sauce
Before storing the soybean sauce in a jar, it is necessary to sterilize the container by dipping it in boiling water or using a specialized machine. This will help preserve it for longer and prevent mold growth. When storing, always tightly close the jar lid and avoid opening it frequently. Store the jar in a dry place and avoid dampness. If the soybean sauce is exposed to sunlight, it will be even more delicious with a darker and more attractive color.
Reference: Dien May Xanh
