Umami Mart

For this month’s Conbini Creations, I wanted to make a recipe using the Youki Shisen Tobanjan, a spicy Sichuan-style chili paste that we carry at Umami Mart. Made with chili peppers and fermented broad beans, tobanjan is often used in mapo tofu recipes, or simply added into noodle soups to add a healthy, warming spice. A small dab also […]

Doubanjiang has been called “the soul of Sichuan cooking.” A spicy bean paste most recognizable in Sichuan cuisine, doubanjiang is also a popular ingredient for Japanese home cooking, called tobanjan. I use doubanjiang quite often in my cooking for sauces, and I was curious as to how I might make a home-style version using only […]