Stir fried clams in chile garlic black bean s

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Stephen Ceideburg
2 pounds Small cherrystone clams (about 24)
1 tablespoon Chinese salted and fermented black beans
1 Inch lump fresh ginger, peeled, minced
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons Peanut or corn oil
2 To 3 fresh green chiles, sliced diagonally
2 Green onions, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon Sugar
White pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing rice wine or dry vermouth
1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce
¼ cup Chicken stock
1 teaspoon Cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Asian hot sesame oil

Directions

Scrub clams and rinse well with cold water. Discard any that do not shut quickly or have broken shells. Keep refrigerated in a bowl covered with a damp towel until ready to cook. Soak the black beans in lukewarm water to cover for 5 minutes. Rinse with fresh water and transfer to a small bowl with the ginger and garlic. Using the back of a fork, gently mash the mixture into a coarse paste; set aside.

Place a wok over high heat. When hot, add the oil, then the black bean paste, chiles and green onions; stir rapidly until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add clams and stir-fry for 1 minute. Season with sugar and white pepper. Splash in the rice wine and toss together for a few seconds.

Add soy sauce and chicken stock, cover, reduce heat to medium-high and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until clams open.

Pour cornstarch mixture into the center of the wok. Stir continuously until sauce thickens to a creamy glaze. Drizzle in the sesame oil.

Serve with steamed rice.

Serves 6 with other dishes.

PER SERVING: 100 calories, 7 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat (1 g saturated), 76 mg cholesterol, 190 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

From an article by Joyce Jue in the San Francisco Chronicle, 9/1/93.

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