Recipe - Stir-Fried Clams In Chile Garlic Black Bean S

Stephen Ceideburg
2 pound 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 tablespoon Peanut or corn oil
2 To 3 fresh green chiles,
cut or sliced up diagonally
2 Green onions, coarsely
chopped
1 teaspoon Sugar
White pepper to taste
2 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxing rice wine
or dry vermouth
1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce
One fourth cup Chicken stock
1 teaspoon Cornstarch mixed with 1
tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Asian hot sesame oil

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 stirfry 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 mediumhigh 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.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini