doubanjiang chili bean paste
A hot, salty paste of fermented broad beans and chilli from Sichuan cooking, known in Japan as tōbanjan.
Doubanjiang is a fermented seasoning paste made from broad beans, dried or fresh chillies, salt and often a little wheat flour, aged for months or even years depending on the style. It tastes strongly salty, hot and deeply savoury, with a slightly sour, almost meaty note. The Pixian style is dark reddish brown and coarse, while Japanese tōbanjan is usually smoother and milder. Its full aroma only develops when it is briefly fried in oil until the oil turns red. It is sold in jars in Asian grocery shops or by mail order, and once opened it keeps for many months in the fridge.
Substitute:
There is no equivalent substitute. Dark miso with a little chilli oil or chilli flakes comes closest to the salty, fermented depth, but lacks the sour bean note. Korean gochujang is noticeably sweeter and stickier and changes the dish considerably.