Hi everyone! Looks like it’s time for another recipe. Here’s the Chinese Stir Fried Clams in Black Bean Sauce I promised you in my last post. The pictures are different cause I actually made this dish again to try to perfect the recipe for all of you (wink). I hope you will enjoy this. It is one of my favorite dishes to order at a Chinese restaurant, but as all of you know, home cooked is always better.
Chinese Stir Fried Clams in Black Bean Sauce
Feeds 2-4 people
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 pounds clams
- 1/2 white onion (diced)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
- 1 stalk green onion (chopped)
- 2 -3 red chili peppers (chopped)
- 1 Tbsp garlic (chopped)
- 3 tsp black beans
- 1 knob ginger (diced)
- 3 tsp corn starch
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 Tbsp Chinese white cooking wine
Note: Ingredients in the picture above are double the ingredients listed in the ingredients list cause I stir fried 2 separate dishes of clams.
Instructions:
Soak clams in cold water for about 2 to 3 hours.
Optional: Chop up one red chili pepper and throw it into the water along with the clams. This helps to make the clams spit out dirt or sand.
Before cooking, give the clams a rinse and scrub.
Scoop out three teaspoons black beans and soak in water for 15 minutes to half an hour.
Drain out beans and mince.
Mix corn starch and 1/8 cup water in a bowl and set aside for later use.
Heat up cooking oil on high heat in a wok. Once oil is hot, dump in garlic and cook until they’re just starting to brown. Dump in onions and black beans, mix around for about a minute. Dump in clams and add Chinese white cooking wine. Give the clams a couple tosses to mix the ingredients and to make sure the ingredients do not burn at the bottom of the wok. Close lid for about five minutes to allow the clams to open up.
After 5 minutes, open lid, check if clams have started to open. Once clams start to open, add in sesame oil, diced red bell pepper, and red chili peppers. Toss the clams a couple of times, then close the lid again for two minutes.
After two minutes, pour in the corn starch and water mixture, green onions, and sugar. Give the clams a couple more tosses until all the clams have opened completely and are coated with the sauce. Plate and enjoy. This dish goes great with rice.
Tip: If there are any clams that did not open after the cooking process, discard them and do not eat them. It means those clams were probably dead to begin with.
Here are the other type of clams I cooked up.
I had never tried this type of clams before so I wanted to compare them to the other clams in the very first picture. The verdict? I prefer the first type of clams more as they seemed to have more meat. Notice that I did not add any salty ingredient to this dish as the clam juices released during the cooking process was plenty salty enough. The only thing I would change next time is probably using red onions instead of white to help sweeten up and balance out the dish a bit more. If you like clams, what’s your favorite way to eat them? Hope you enjoy this recipe, friends and family. Until next time :-D.
luvtoeat 
Yeah! Yeah! I’m making these….
This recipe is pretty easy, LeQuanis. I think I can do it for sure! I have regular black beans. Is it important to get the preserved ones for proper flavor or do you think I could get away with my regular beans?
How do I normally eat clams? Well, I usually eat them out, which means that it’s the typical French/European white wine, butter, and garlic infusion with crusty bread type of thing. It’s my favorite thus far. We’ll see if it stays that way though (smile).
p.s. Your top photo is good. It made me crave these. I could feel the hunger;) Ooh, is that a song?
Hmm..that’s a great question Stella. I’ve never cooked them with regular beans before, but I would assume the taste to be totally different. Are you trying a Stellayver (wink)? Preserved black beans have a slight salty taste to them plus some are preserved with ginger too so I think it would be quite different. Have fun and have a wonderful weekend Stella Witch.
Wow, beautiful dish! Happy you decided it was time to post a new recipe;-) I like the taste of preserved black beans so I’m sure I would enjoy this stir fried clam dish. Just thinking about how I like to eat clams I can say honestly that I don’t eat them very often, which is really too bad. I like clam linguini with lots of garlic, herbs and white wine. I also like them baked with bread crumbs, garlic – Italian style or in clam chowder, okay that’s enough, I really do like to eat, lol! Have a nice weekend.
An excellent way to prepare clams! The black bean sauce sounds so good! I do love clams but I never cook them at home – must try soon!
Don’t hate me LeQuan but I have never had clams before. There is just something about their consistency that makes me think twice. Maybe if I had a delicious meal like this in front of me I could finally give them a try!
This looks amazingly delicious! And who knew that black bean sauce could be so easy? Even I could manage this recipe!
Have a fantastic weekend!!
I am so glad that I stumbled on your blog this evening. My husband and I love clams, and we’ve ordered a very similar dish at a wonderful restaurant before. I’m so excited to have a recipe that I can recreate at home. Thank you for sharing!
I cannot WAIT to try this and use my black beans. I love clams – and this is obviously a fun and healthy dish – but what KINDS of clams are type one and type two? How would I know which kind to buy. This is actually easy to make, isn’t it? Just time consuming. And what a lovely contribution to any meal!
YUMMMMM
BIG TIGHT SQUEEZE!
🙂
Valerie
Hey Valerie,
Thanks for asking that question. After I posted, I realized I forgot to add in the names of the two types of clams. Anyways, the 1st ones are little neck clams and are regularly priced at $4.99 at T&T. The 2nd types are $3.99 at T&T but I don’t remember the name (blush). Hope that helps. Let me know if you try the recipe and how you like it. I remember you bought the preserved beans that time we went to Lucky 97. Hope you and Vanja have a great weekend. When the weather gets cooler, we’d live to have you over for Bun Rue. I haven’t forgotten 🙂
This is my hubby’s favorite dish. I always like to add extra chillies in it with fermented soy bean. Next time I must try your recipe ~ thanks Lequan 😉
Thanks for posting a picture of the can of preserved beans. When I first read the recipe, I thought of regular canned black beans and I was like, hmm that’s interesting and then I saw the next picture was like, oooooohhhh 🙂 I don’t think I’ve ever cooked clams but you make it look so easy and delicious!
i havent tried clams ever! my dad says theyre fantastic but my mom hates them. we usually have oysters in the house but i think clams look better and smell better too.. hmm next time we cook up some clams i’ll try some!!
these definitely look appetizing!! ❤
wow these look awesome and we just love clams here thanks for sharing and also the bean sauce addition wow~
gawd i’m so impressed with your skillz. i’m a horrible, horrible chinese cook. never paid attention when my mom was teaching.
Aww, thanks Lynn! To be honest, I only started paying more attention after I started blogging. Teehee.
I only cook Chinese and Vietnamese though. When I want Western food, I have to go out to a restaurant 😦 You’re quite the creative one yourself!!
I’ve never tried clams before. I’ve never been a big seafood fan. Well … I don’t know how true that is because I’ve never tried much in the way of seafood. I like this recipe though. I’m trying to decide what else I could make with it.
Black bean sauce!!! (or I would call it Dou Chi Jiang ;-)) I know how good it tastes …. It goes well with almost anything!! seems that you have a great Asian Supermarket around your area!
Stir fried clams? I have never tried clams before. I am introduced to so many things on your blog.
Great clam dish. I am a big fan of clams and would love this. Wonderful black bean sauce as well.
These clams look delicious!I love most sea food, but have never tried clams because I was never sure how to cook them! I think I will have to try this! 🙂
You must have a very well stocked Asian grocery store in your area as you seem to be able to get all kinds of seafood and ingredients. The two clam dishes looks really tasty. The sauce will be great with a big bowl of white rice.
LeQuan! these clams are looking good!! I’ve not had them for a while because the hubby doesnt like them. The ingredients you put together sound so delicious especially the Chinese rice wine. Hey, I didn’t know clams don’t like spicy haha. Good to know.
I like to stir-fry with basil and chili paste, or steam them!
PS: Sorry for a late comment. Weekend is my time off 😀
Hey Tanantha!
I learned the chili trick from my parents. Oooh, stir frying with basil and chili paste sounds great! Have to try that some time, thanks! Silly, no need to apologize for commenting. Everyone has a life besides blogging, so it’s always better late than never, I’d say (smile).
I would NEVER come up with that. I am so not creative with FOod! YOU are awsome for making that : )
Thanks for sharing…I write it down…lets hope i get to use it! If mastered my husband could actually fall in love with me all over again
YUMMMMM!
Wow! This is probably the most interesting dish I’ve come across all day! Not sure if I could convince the hubby to try it out. But, as for me I think it looks great! We don’t have a lot of seafood here in KS…but hey, I’d give it a try!
we love clams and have them once a week over pasta, your version looks delicious!! It is definitely going on the menu, my wife will love this version!! I’m glad you reminded me about soaking the clams, I have gotten lazy lately!
Look at the garlic, ginger and onions. POWER! Love clams 🙂
Now look what you did! You ruined my dinner! Now I just want to hurl this away, pull back my sleeves, tuck a napkin into my collar, and dig into your awesome salty, stinky, delicious clams.
Mmm…this looks very delicious. Must be at least a decade I have not eaten this. I don’t think I have seen these clams here. I only get mussels here. I suppose I can use mussels too. Hope you are feeling much better, LeQuan. Please take care and have a nice day.
Ah, you and seafood are a match in Heaven 🙂 I love clams, I love black beans – I think I would love this dish! I’ve gotten lazy about my seafood lately (it’s always salmon salmon scallops salmon), so this dish would be a great way to spice things up! I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never soaked my clams before … oops. I should know better 😛 I’ve never heard that trick about putting chili pepper into the water to help the clams spit out sand. How clever! I’ll definitely have to try that. I’m guessing the spiciness doesn’t linger?
I love clams on pasta especially, with lots of butter and garlic – but shhhh! You didn’t hear that from me, RD-to-be! 😉 Take care LeeeeeeeeeeQs!!
Oh boy! Do I love clams! The way you’ve cooked them is definitely one of my very favourites but you know me, so I would definitely up (and UP) the chilli LOL
Other ways I like them are over pasta, in a creamy sauce, in a chowder, over pizza (they have to be tiny though) or in a Thai style kinda salad with lots of shredded veggies,herbs, lime juice, sesame oil and of course MORE chilli!!
You know LeQuan, I never tought to put chilli into the soaking water to make the little guys spit out grit – all this time I’ve just used cornflour though I gotta say I don’t think this “trick” actually works 😛 I will try the chilli trick next time I cook clams. Thanks for sharing that bit of helpful info 🙂
Btw – I love the first and last photos in your post!
Oh Denise, I know you would surely UP UP UP the chili factor, but I had to adjust the recipe for us non superhuman. Lol. Actually hubby complained it wasn’t spicy enough either. Maybe too many Devil Curries? *wink*
I love all the ways you enjoy clams, especially the pizza! I’ve had smoked oysters on pizza but never clams. Yummerz!
I’ve heard of the cornflour trick but my parents always used chili so that’s what I used. Thanks for all those wonderful clam suggestions. You sure know how to enjoy clams! Have a wonderful day Denise!
Tee hee! Yes, pour the pasta into the Cauldron! Wait, that might actually be problematic (smile)…
By the way, I’m with Denise on the photo thing. Your top & bottom ones are great, LeQuanis. Maybe you should submit it to Photograzing or something. Have you ever done that with some of your good, clear photos? I always submit to Photograzing, and I’ve seen Denise’s stuff there too. They are less stringent than Foodgawker and Tastespotting. I often get rejected by the last two, but Photograzing usually accepts my photos. I ‘think’ these might be accepted…but I don’t work them for them or anything (smile)…
p.s. do you use Photoshop?
Hey Stella!
Yeah I had to laugh at myself after reading that.
No, I never use Photoshop or submit my photos to any of those sites. I don’t have anything against those sites, it’s just that blogging is just a hobby for me. Plus, my little ones already take up most of my time so I’m just happy I even have time to blog. As long as my photos are clear, I’m pretty happy for now. Most of the time I take two shots in case one turns out fuzzy. As much as I’d love to perfect my photos, I sadly don’t have the time to do that 😦 To be honest, I enjoy gawking at others photos lol.
Have lovely day with Cauldron Boy!
Hey LeQuanis, I understand that. Photo contest don’t matter really. I was actually a bit annoyed at how I felt I had to learn how to take photos for my blog (smile). I only mentioned it b/c I remembered that post you wrote where you seemed a bit frustrated about photos and your camera. And I remember feeling that way;)
I hope you have a good night too, My LeQuan.
Your Friend, Stella
The recipe sounds delicious!! Do you think I could use the black bean paste in place of the real beans!
Hi Priyanka,
I probably would not substitute it as the preserved beans have quite a different taste than regular black beans. The preserved beans are slighty salty in taste. So depending on what you are using it for, I would be careful. Thank you for dropping by and for the great question!
Yum!!! I would say the only way I don’t like clams is raw. I need to give this a try. Very simple and I love dishes with black beans.
Decent helpful hints, thought provoking. Thanks!