Cookbook:Black Bean Stir-Fry

| American cuisine

Ingredients

 * 3 cloves garlic, minced
 * 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
 * 1–2 fresh hot chiles, minced (or ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes)
 * 4 scallions, separated: white part minced, green part cut on the diagonal in ½-inch pieces
 * 3 tablespoons Chinese black beans
 * ¼ to ½ cup chicken stock
 * 2 tablespoons soy sauce
 * 2 teaspoons sugar
 * ½ teaspoon sesame oil
 * 1 teaspoon cornstarch
 * 1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry
 * 2 pounds (900 g) shellfish (clams, mussels, crabs, and/or lobster) or 1 pound (450 g) of shrimp, fish, poultry, or pork
 * 1½ tablespoons canola oil
 * ½ cup onion cubes
 * 1 red bell pepper or ½ red and ½ green peppers, cut in cubes
 * 2–3 cups, thinly sliced vegetables (cabbage, snow peas, and/or carrots
 * Steamed white rice, optional

Procedure

 * 1) In small bowl, combine garlic, ginger root, chilies, scallion whites, and black beans.
 * 2) In another small bowl, combine ¼ cup stock, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, and stir until sugar dissolves.
 * 3) In a third small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in wine or sherry.
 * 4) Scrub clams, if using, cut shellfish into 1-inch pieces or thinly slice poultry or meat.
 * 5) Just before serving, heat a wok over high heat.
 * 6) Swirl in canola oil.
 * 7) Stir-Fry onion and bell pepper for a minute then add garlic and bean mixture and cook for 15 seconds, or until fragrant but not brown.
 * 8) Add seafood and stir-fry for 1 minute.
 * 9) Add stock-based sauce and cook for 2 to 5 minutes, or until seafood is cooked; if necessary to prevent mixture from sticking to pan, add remaining stock. (If steaming clams, tightly cover wok.)
 * 10) Stir cornstarch mixture and add to stir-fry along with scallion greens and sliced vegetables.
 * 11) Bring sauce to a boil.
 * 12) Serve immediately along with white rice if desired.