Clams in Black Bean Sauce

Steamed clams get a second life in the wok, tossed with a savory black bean sauce spiked with Szechwan chili sauce, fresh ginger, and sherry. The two-stage cooking keeps the clams tender: a quick steam opens the shells, then a fast wok toss coats them in the glossy, thickened sauce.

The sauce comes together in seconds. Chicken broth, black bean sauce, sherry, cornstarch, and chili sauce get mixed ahead of time, then poured into the hot wok where the cornstarch thickens everything into a glaze almost instantly.

Fresh ginger and scallions stir-fried in hot oil for just 30 seconds build the aromatic base before the clams and sauce go in.

Chef Tips

• Steam the clams just until the shells open, about 5 minutes. Any clam that stays shut after steaming should be discarded.
• Mix the sauce ingredients before you start the wok. Once the oil is hot, the whole dish comes together in under a minute.
• Don’t overcook the clams in the wok. They’re already cooked from steaming. The wok step is just for coating them in sauce and getting them hot.

Variations

• Serve over hot egg noodles or lo mein to soak up the extra sauce.
• Use mussels instead of clams for a slightly sweeter, more tender shellfish.
• Add diced red bell pepper to the wok with the ginger for color and sweetness.