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Sweet Bean Sauce (Tianmianjiang)

Chinese · Sauce

A classic thick, savory-sweet sauce essential to East Asian cuisine, particularly famous as a companion for Peking Duck and the base for authentic Zhajiangmian.

Ready in 30 minutesVeganVegetarian
The EZdish collectionAI-created recipe
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Sweet Bean Sauce (Tianmianjiang) — recipe cover
15 minFrom prep to plate
Prep time5 min
Cook time10 min
Servings12 people
DifficultyEasy
The recipeTips & storage
Let's make something good

How to make it

4 steps. Take it one step at a time.

  1. Whisk together the wheat flour and water

    In a cold medium saucepan, whisk together the wheat flour and water until there are no visible lumps.

  2. Stir in the sugar, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce

    Stir in the sugar, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce until well combined.

  3. Place the saucepan

    Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk or spatula to prevent burning at the bottom, for about 5-8 minutes or until the sauce thickens into a glossy paste.

    8 min

  4. Remove from heat and immediately stir

    Remove from heat and immediately stir in the sesame oil for fragrance and shine.

A little kitchen wisdom

Traditional tianmianjiang is fermented for months, but this quick version captures the flavor profile using flour and soy sauce for immediate use. Use dark soy sauce specifically for that deep mahogany color.

What you'll need

SaucepanWhiskSpatula
Keep the good going

For now. And for later.

Make it ahead

This sauce can be made in large batches and stored for long periods.

Store & enjoy

Store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken when cold; thin with a teaspoon of warm water if necessary.

Allergens

Contains wheat, gluten, soy.

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An AI-created recipe from the EZdish collection. Ingredient quantities and techniques have not been independently kitchen-tested. Published on this website . Updated . First published in the EZdish collection .

Sweet Bean Sauce (Tianmianjiang)
Step 1 of 4

Whisk together the wheat flour and water

In a cold medium saucepan, whisk together the wheat flour and water until there are no visible lumps.