5whole15 g dried guajillo chilies, or a blend of dried chilis you like.
2teaspoonscrushed red pepper flakesrecently purchased—make sure they’re hot!
1cup240 ml flavorless cooking oil such as grapeseed, soybean, et cetera
1tablespoondried prickly ash / Szechuan peppercornsIf you use commercial Szechuan peppercorns, reduce this to 1 teaspoon as they're stronger than X. americanum.
3tablespoons(~10 g) ground mushroom powder-the bigger variety the better. Do not use dried woody polypores like chicken of the woods or dryad saddles
2large cloves garlic, (8 g) ends trimmed
½-inch piece (3 g) fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1small shallot (18 g) coarsely chopped
2teaspoonssoy sauce
2½ tablespoonsfermented black beansDouchi
Instructions
Toast the guajillos in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes, then cool. Break the stem off each chili and shake out the seeds. Discard the stems and seeds.
Crush the chilies in a mortar and pestle so that they're coarsely crushed (you don't want a powder here) then mix with the crushed red pepper and reserve. Combine all ingredients except the dried chilies and black beans in a blender and puree until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Pour the mixture into a small 2- to 3- cup (490–720 ml) capacity saucepan, add the guajillo or other chilis and crushed red pepper flakes, bring to a simmer, and cook on low heat until the liquid has evaporated, about 30-45 minutes.
Watch the mixture carefully, as you don’t want to burn it.
When in doubt, undercook it a bit as; you can always gently simmer it for a bit longer.
When the mixture is starting to separate, stir in the beans, cook for a few minutes more, then set aside the pan to cool off the heat, and marvel at how great the kitchen smells.
The sauce will last for a month in the fridge—longer if you make sure the solids are always covered by a layer of oil in the jar. Stir it before using.
Notes
Feel free to adapt the recipe by substituting different ingredients you have on hand. For example, use whatever powdered mushrooms you have, and substitute in different chilis for the guajillos, if you want.