The savoury flavour of fermented Chinese black beans is almost indescribable – but we’ll have a go. First, there’s a fruitiness that develops rich, smoky, miso-like undertones. Then bam! That back-of-the-throat-warming chilli kicks in. And before you know it, you’re in love. No messin’, this spicy stuff’s a game-changer. About White Mausu is a team of two cooks – Katie and Jasper – who love making food that makes people happy. Between them, we’ve spent 30 years messing with recipes, burning things and bunging way too much chilli in until they got it just right.They met working in a Dublin café. One day, the café owner Aishling brought them in a concoction made by a Japanese lady she knew – a delightful rāyu that reminded them of the banging chilli oils they'd grown up with in Hong Kong. Katie and Jasper's one great love is sauces, condiments or whatever you want to call something that creates a flavour explosion. They were inspired to experiment with combinations to add to their travelling larder. At the time, Katie was what you might call a ‘nomadic’ chef, doing pop-ups, retreats, and getting inspired by everything from fermentation to seaweed. For two incredible summers, Katie and Jasper teamed up to turn a boatshed on Ireland’s West Coast into a seaweed restaurant, using the donkey stable as their kitchen! You couldn’t beat the sea views from their chopping boards. Jasper built a homemade tandoor and cooked freshly caught fish straight from the boats. Truly dreamy stuff!