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Spicy Bean Paste
Spicy bean paste is great for all sorts of dishes. It can be used in braised dishes, for grilling fish, for sauteeing tau kwa (firm tofu) or chicken, and especially for tossing with Chinese noodles (la mian).
Spicy bean paste forms the cornerstone of two well-known and popular Chinese noodle dishes - zha jiang mian and dan dan mian. For a simple and easy to make version, simply saute a little minced garlic and shallots with some minced meat. If desired, add some very finely diced Chinese mushrooms and firm/pressed tofu. Finally add enough spicy bean paste to create enough gravy to toss the noodles with. The noodles can then be added to the wok/pan and quickly tossed with the sauce while still on the stove (similar to pasta), or the finished sauce can be poured over ready-cooked noodles and tossed in the serving plate itself.
I like this particular brand of spicy bean paste - a recent discovery. It's a Taiwan-made brand, and has a nice balance between saltiness and spice heat. Plus, there doesn't seem to be any added MSG, which is always a good thing!