Put the dried beans into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for at least 15 mins. Drain, rinse and set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and cook the ginger and garlic for 2 mins until fragrant, stirring continuously to ensure it doesn’t burn. Stir in the black beans and cook for another minute, then pour in the wine and cook for 1 min.

Drizzle in the soy sauce, then add the sugar, sesame oil and a pinch of white ground pepper. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Pour in 400ml of water and slowly simmer for around 10 mins, until it's reached your preferred texture. The longer you cook it, the softer the beans will become and they will start to disintegrate into the sauce.

Combine the cornflour with 1 tbsp water, then add 1 tbsp of this mixture into the beans, bring to the boil until the sauce thickens and becomes translucent. Add a little more water if you want it looser, or more cornflour paste to thicken. Will keep chilled in an airtight, sterilised container for up to a week.