Not those black beans, the other ones

Back in the spring, there was a Minimalist about black bean sauce, so I tried it with a stir fry. I've always had trouble getting sauces for stir frys right, and this is now my favorite. I now use it on steamed veggies, and it satisfies my Chinese food takeout cravings in a much healthier way. It's a little different each time, since I just throw the ingredients together in very rough proportions. The hardest part of the recipe is finding the black beans, which are actually salted, fermented and dried soybeans. I've bought them at the Super 88 in Boston, where they're in an aisle with various sauces, and since I can't read Chinese, it took a while to actually find them. When I did, I found that you can get about two cups, which would probably last a year or two, for 49 cents. Now that's cheap.

Black Bean Sauce
based on the Minimalist

2 tbs black beans
4 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbs corn starch
1 tbs sesame oil (optional)
1 tbs sesame seeds (optional)

Mix everything together and let it sit while you're preparing whatever you're planning on putting it on. When you start cooking your other food, start simmering the sauce on low heat, adding enough water to keep it from getting too thick; cook for five or ten minutes. Spoon the sauce over cooked food.