Chinese🐟 Seafood

Clams with Black Bean Sauce

Name: Clams with Black Bean Sauce
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 lb clams; ¼ oz ginger; 2 garlic cloves; 2 chili peppers; 3 green onion whites; red onion; red bell pepper; 1 to 2 tbsp fermented black beans (preserved black soy beans); 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 tsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; ¼ tsp white pepper; 1 tsp sugar; ¼ cups water; 2 tsp cornstarch; 2 tbsp water; 2 tbsp cooking oil; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp cooking oil

⏱ 15 min

A classic Cantonese seafood dish featuring fresh clams and fermented black bean sauce, packed with rich umami flavor. Ready in 15 minutes.

Adapted from a video by Made With Lau

🤤 How to Cook Clams: The Cantonese Way (豉汁炒蜆)

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

clams2 lb
ginger¼ oz
garlic cloves2
chili pepperssmall chili peppers; optional if you prefer milder flavor2
green onion whiteswhite parts only3
red onionsmall amount, for color; optional
red bell pepperabout 1/5 of a pepper
fermented black beans (preserved black soy beans)slightly more than 1 tbsp but not quite 2 tbsp

Steps

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1
Soak clams in room temperature water for at least 10 minutes to help them expel sand and dirt. Rinse thoroughly after soaking.
2
Prepare all ingredients: mince ginger into a fine paste by slicing, julienning, then mincing finely. Trim and mince garlic cloves. Dice chili peppers, green onion whites, red onion, and red bell pepper; set aside.
3
Mix oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, sugar, and water in a bowl to make the sauce. In another bowl, mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
4
Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a wok over high heat. Add clams and blanch until they begin to open, about 1½ to 2 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove opened clams with a slotted spoon. For tightly closed ones, gently pry open by hand or with a small knife; discard any with an off odor.
5
Heat the wok over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Reduce to low heat, add minced garlic, ginger, and green onion whites; stir-fry for 15-20 seconds until fragrant.
6
Add fermented black beans (slightly more than 1 tbsp but not quite 2 tbsp) and stir-fry for another 15-20 seconds.
7
Add red onion and red bell pepper; stir-fry over medium heat until aromatic, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn.
8
Add the blanched clams and gently mix everything together.
9
Turn heat to high and add the prepared sauce, stirring gently. While stirring, gradually pour in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce reaches desired thickness; avoid over-stirring to keep clam meat intact. After about 2 minutes, turn off heat.
10
Stir in 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Transfer the clams and all the sauce to a serving plate.

Clams with Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

Steps

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