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Epicurious
Gourmet

Bean Jelly with Chile Vinegar Sauce

2.5

(1)

A signature food of Yunnan (each town has its own version, available at every restaurant and street stall), bean jelly has the consistency of very firm Jell-O. The vinegar and chile in this dish reflect the proximity of Sichuan province. For sources for the mung-bean starch, Chinese black vinegar, and daikon.

Cooks' note:

Jelly can be chilled up to 1 day.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    3 1/4 hr

  • Yield

    Makes 4 to 6 (first course or snack) servings

Ingredients

For jelly

2 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup mung-bean starch
1/2 teaspoon salt

For sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (preferably Chinkiang)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Sichuan-pepper oil , or to taste
1 teaspoon red-chile oil
1 teaspoon finely grated (with a rasp) peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely grated (with a rasp) garlic
3 large scallions (white and pale green parts only), cut into very thin shreds
1 (3-inch) piece daikon (also called Chinese radish or luo bo), peeled and cut into matchsticks
Garnish: chopped scallion greens; chopped roasted peanuts

Preparation

  1. Make jelly:

    Step 1

    Bring water, mung-bean starch, and salt to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, then boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish and cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill until jelly is firm, about 2 hours.

  2. Make sauce:

    Step 2

    Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, oils, ginger, and garlic in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved.

  3. Assemble dish:

    Step 3

    Run a thin knife around side of jelly to loosen, then unmold onto a cutting board. Cut jelly into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Carefully transfer to sauce in bowl, then gently stir in scallions and daikon. Serve with Sichuan-pepper oil and red-chile oil on the side.

TagsChineseEast AsianAsianBean and LegumeVegetableScallionOnionRoot VegetableDaikonSichuan PeppercornHerbs & SpicesStarterSnackDinnerDairy FreeVeganVegetarianEasySimmerGourmet
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