Sterilize the jar. For careful sterilization, boil the jar and lid. Or, to save time, simply wipe inside of jar and lid with alcohol, like I do.

To extend the shelf life, before mincing, carefully remove excess water from the thoroughly washed chives and leeks with a paper towel, and mince on a dried surface.

There's no need to cook the chives or leeks. Mince the garlic, and lightly grind sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle.

Mix together all ingredients marked ● until all the ingredients blend together. Add doubanjiang to taste.

Mix in the chives, leeks, and garlic, until the ingredients are evenly blended.

Transfer to the sterilized jar. This amount usually gets eaten up at one meal, so doubling the recipe guarantees enough for later use.

Freshly prepared, this paste has a sharp salty taste and the flavors will not be settled. It's best when used after 12 to 24 hours.

Use a sterilized spoon when serving and store in the refrigerator. We consume this within 2 weeks. After that much time, it's usually all eaten up!

It goes well with Chinese stir-fry dishes, seasoning for soup, or as topping on fresh vegetables. Try it with pot stickers or Chinese dumplings. Or, snack on it as a side dish with beer or sake.

When I tried it on freshly steamed rice, I was completely stuffed.