Fish in Black Bean Sauce

One of the most basic dishes in the Yangtze delta region is fish cooked in a black bean sauce. Black beans have been a staple seasoning in China for centuries. They are used whole, as fermented beans, or processed into a rich, aromatic paste with ginger and garlic. Commercial black bean paste comes in many grades, some with Sichuan peppercorns and others with chilli. It has an affinity with sesame oil and spring onions.