Chinese fermented black beans (known in Cantonese as dou si) are powerful little umami bombs - they add an intense, rich savouriness to whatever they're cooked with. They are made from soy beans ...

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the beans until just tender, 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil until ...

Although this is a Chinese dish ... then lower the flame and cover the wok with the lid. Cook, stirring occa­sionally, until the long beans are crisp-tender. If the mixture seems dry, add ...