Stir-fried Clams with Black Bean Sauce 豉椒炒蜆

A classic Cantonese dish featuring fresh clams stir-fried with fragrant fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, and chili. The savory sauce perfectly complements the tender, sweet clams, making it a beloved staple often served with rice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 600g fresh clams
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 slices ginger
• 1.5tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and roughly mashed
• 1 pc red chili, sliced
• 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 5cm sections
• 0.5 pc green bell pepper, sliced
• 2tbsp cooking oil
• 1tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1tbsp light soy sauce
• 1tbsp oyster sauce
• 1tsp sugar
• 0.25tsp white pepper powder
• 1tsp cornstarch
• 2tbsp water (for slurry)

Steps

1. Soak fresh clams in cold salted water for at least 30 minutes to purge sand, then drain thoroughly. Mince garlic, slice ginger, slice red chilies, cut spring onions into sections, and slice green bell pepper. Prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with water.
2. Heat cooking oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, ginger slices, and fermented black beans. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add sliced red chilies and stir-fry for another 15 seconds.
3. Add the drained clams to the wok. Pour in Shaoxing wine and cover immediately with a lid. Steam for 2-3 minutes, or until all the clam shells have opened. Discard any unopened clams.
4. Remove the lid. Add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and white pepper powder. Stir well to combine. Add green bell pepper slices and spring onion sections. Stir-fry for 1 minute until vegetables are slightly tender-crisp.
5. Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir, then pour it into the wok, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Turn off the heat. Transfer the stir-fried clams to a serving plate and serve immediately.

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