Tua Nao - Soybean Paste, Disks

Burma - Shan

- Tua Nao | Shan Pae'Pote (Disks)

(Click to Enlarge)

Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:

4 oz
**
8 days
Must

This fermented soybean paste, and dried disks made from it, are very important to the Shan people of Burma. They use it similarly to how Shrimp Paste is used in Thailand and the non-Shan regions of Burma. It can also serve the same way for strict vegetarians. Imported disks can be ordered from Yoma Myanmar Tea Co., but are much less expensive made at home.

1/2
ar
2

#

t

Soybeans (1)
Water
Salt

Place SOYBEANS in a pot with lots of water. Bring to a boil and hold at a fast simmer for 3 to 3-1/2 hours until cooked through.
Place cooked Soybeans in a fermenting container. In Burma a basket is often used, but I have used a Mexican clay bowl (see Gallery). If you have a little powder from a previous batch it could get the fermentation going more quickly. While my first batch was made with wild fermentation, the photo specimens used powder from disks imported from Burma.
Place in a spot away from sunlight, cover with a cloth and keep damp for 5 to 6 days (depending on room temperature). Using the clay bowl, I make sure there's a little water at the bottom and stir them up twice a day, renewing the water as needed. You must not let them dry out on top or you won't be able to grind them at all easily. For the last night I stir them again and cover with a plate to hold in moisture to make sure all are evenly soft.
When the Soybeans are properly fermented, they will have a fairly strong slightly sweet fermented smell, but must not smell rotten or show any signs of mold.
Add Salt and grind the Soybeans to paste. This is best done in a powerful food processor, adding no water or just enough so it can make them into a uniform paste. Scrape down the sides often. Too much water and you'll have a hard time making disks, if that is what you intend.
Store paste in a tightly covered jar in the fridge. It will keep for a week, maybe two - or - make into dried disks.

Tua Nao Disks

Tua Nao Paste

You will need two sheets of plastic, about 6 inches square and about the thickness of a large Ziploc bag. You will also need a drying rack with a fairly small grid. I use the trays from my dehydrator.
Set one sheet of plastic on a flat surface. I find it difficult to get disks off the bottom sheet, so I wipe it with a paper towel lightly wetted with Olive Oil before making each disk - there should be no visible oil. If you have trouble with the top sheet, do the same there.
Make a ball of the Tua Nao Paste about the size of an English Walnut. Set it on the bottom plastic sheet.
Place the top plastic sheet over the ball and squeeze it down carefully to make a disk about 3-1/4 inches in diameter, or however works with your paste.
Carefully peel off the top plastic sheet.
Carry the disk to the drying rack on the bottom sheet, then quickly invert it onto the rack. Carefully peel off the sheet of plastic.
Repeat until you have as many disks as you want, or run out of Paste or drying rack space.
Normally, these racks are set out to sun dry the disks. This will take a couple of days (take them in at night). Using my dehydrator, I set it at fan on and low heat, leaving it run for a day and a night. The disks need to be very dry and brittle. Don't worry if they crack, you'll be pulverizing them for use anyway.
To use the disks, just run pieces to powder in your spice grinder. Most recipes will ask you to toast the disk over flame or on a dry pan before grinding. I dry pan toast until just slightly darker. Each will have the power of the number of Tablespoons of paste used to make it.

NOTES:

Soybeans: These should be dried white soybeans, preferably from a Korean market or some other market that as a high turnover to assure freshness.
U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch

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