Inspired by delicious mapo tofu, this vegan mapo beans dish adds sweet and nutty notes by substituting the tofu for speckled calico lima beans: a distinctly different flavour, texture, and nutrition profile.
Clean the carrot and cut into quarters length-wise.
Peel the onion, keeping the root end intact. Cut into halves (the root end will help hold the onion together.
Add the carrot quarters and onion halves to a saucepan.
Peel the garlic. Bash 2 cloves of garlic and add to the saucepan.
Add the speckled calico lima beans to the saucepan, along with the bay leaf and vegetable stock (or chicken stock).
Add enough water so that the beans are just covered. (About 2 cups)
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the beans are soft and creamy but not yet breaking apart.
Remove from the heat, and allow to cool.
Crush the other 8 cloves of garlic.
Wash the spring onions, then cut off the and dice finely.
Cut the green parts of the spring onions into pieces 20-30mm long.
If the fermented black beans are whole (as opposed to mashed up in a jar) then mash them up a bit.
Remove the carrots, onion, and bay leaf from the saucepan containing the beans.
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a wok and add the grated ginger and diced white parts of the spring onion to cook for 30-40 seconds or so.
Add the finely diced shiitake mushrooms (or ground pork or both!) to the wok and fry until just starting to brown.
Add the chilli bean paste, fermented black beans, the rice wine or sherry, the crushed garlic, and the chilli powder to the wok. Continue to stir fry until very fragrant, 2 or 3 minutes.
Pour in the beans and the cooking liquid. Add 1 tsp of ground Sichuan pepper, and the 2 tsp of sugar.
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Mix the 2 Tbsp corn starch with the 2 Tbsp water to form a slurry.
Add half of the cornstarch slurry to the simmering broth, stirring constantly.
Allow to continue cooking for 5 minutes. If it is not thick enough, repeat with the other half of the cornstarch slurry.
Serve topped with the green parts of the spring onions, and sprinkling on the other tsp of Sichuan pepper, as well as some chilli oil.