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Cantonese Clams in Black Bean Sauce

groups4 servingsspeedEasycountertopsPrep: 10 minsskilletCook: 5 minsscheduleTotal: 15 minsoutdoor_grillStir-frylocal_fire_departmentMild
Allergens:warningShellfishwarningSoy

Allergen labels are AI-generated and may be incomplete or wrong. If you have a food allergy, always verify every ingredient yourself.

Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.

skilletInstruction

13 Steps Total
01
Preparation
0

Prepare a bowl of room temperature water, soak 2 lbs of clams in the water for at least 10 minutes to release sand and dirt inside, then wash them gently after soaking.

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Watch out

Water must be at room temperature, otherwise hot water will kill the clams with their shells open.

Ingredients:fresh clams (2 lbs)water
Tools:metal bowlstrainer
02
Preparation
00:00:58

First slice 0.3 oz of ginger, stack and cut into thin strips, then turn 90 degrees to mince into ginger paste; smash and peel 1.5 cloves of garlic and mince; remove stems from 1 chili pepper and dice; dice white part of 1.5 green onions; dice 0.75 oz red onion; dice 0.2 red bell pepper.

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Watch out

Curl your fingers inward when cutting to secure the ingredients and prevent cutting your fingers.

Ingredients:ginger (0.3 oz)Garlic (1.5 clove)chili pepper (1 piece)green onion (1.5 piece)red onion (0.75 oz)red bell pepper (0.2 piece)
Tools:Chinese cleavercutting board
03
Preparation
00:02:50

In a bowl, add 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 0.25 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sugar, and 0.25 cup water, mix well until the sauce is smooth.

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Watch out

Sugar and pepper must be completely dissolved, otherwise the flavor will be uneven during cooking.

Ingredients:oyster sauce (1 tbsp)light soy sauce (2 tsp)dark soy sauce (1 tsp)white pepper powder (0.25 tsp)sugar (1 tsp)water (0.25 cup)
Tools:bowlspoon
04
Preparation
00:03:06

In a bowl, add 2 tsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water, stir well until completely dissolved into a milky white slurry.

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Watch out

Cornstarch settles easily, must be stirred again before adding to the wok.

Ingredients:cornstarch (2 tsp)water (2 tbsp)
Tools:bowl
05
Preparation
00:03:20

After 10 minutes of soaking, scoop the clams out of the water and transfer them to a strainer for later use.

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Watch out

Handle gently when scooping, do not crash the shells hard to avoid cracking.

Ingredients:fresh clams
Tools:strainer
06
Active Cooking
00:04:31
warningStay safe

Be extremely careful when handling the wok with boiling water or handling boiling water, to avoid splashes causing severe burns.

Pour 8 cups of boiling water into the wok, turn heat to high until boiling, add 2 lbs of clams to blanch, stir gently, cook for about 1.5 to 2 minutes until clams open automatically and expel internal sand, then scoop them out.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 2 minutes
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Watch out

Do not blanch too long, otherwise the clam meat will shrink, toughen, and fall out of the shells.

Ingredients:water (8 cup)fresh clams (2 lbs)
Tools:slotted spatulacarbon steel wok
07
Active Cooking
00:07:32
warningStay safe

Be careful with finger placement when manually prying open hard-shelled clams with a knife to avoid the knife slipping and piercing.

Use your fingernail or a small knife to gently insert into the gap of unopened clams, twist and manually pry them open, discard if there is an odd odor.

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Watch out

Control your force when prying clams with a knife, do not use excessive force to prevent slipping and cutting yourself.

Ingredients:fresh clams
Tools:small knife
08
Active Cooking
00:08:02

Heat the wok on high until hot, add 2.33 tbsp cooking oil, turn to low heat and add minced garlic, ginger paste, and green onion whites, stir-fry for 15 to 20 seconds until aromatic.

local_fire_departmentLow heat, about 20 seconds
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Watch out

Keep heat low while sautéing aromatics, otherwise minced garlic and ginger will burn instantly and turn bitter.

Ingredients:Cooking oil (2.33 tbsp)Garlicgingergreen onion
Tools:slotted spatulacarbon steel wok
09
Active Cooking
00:08:31

Add 1.5 tbsp of fermented black bean sauce on low heat, stir-fry evenly to release the rich aroma of black beans.

local_fire_departmentLow heat
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Watch out

Do not add too much black bean sauce, otherwise the whole dish will become too salty.

Ingredients:fermented black bean sauce (1.5 tbsp)
Tools:slotted spatulacarbon steel wok
10
Active Cooking
00:09:07

Add 0.75 oz diced red onion and 0.2 diced red bell pepper, stir-fry over medium heat for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

local_fire_departmentMedium heat, about 30 seconds
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Watch out

Do not stir-fry vegetables on high heat, otherwise the sauce and vegetables will quickly burn.

Ingredients:red onion (0.75 oz)red bell pepper (0.2 piece)
Tools:slotted spatulacarbon steel wok
11
Active Cooking
00:09:32

Add 2 lbs of clams, mix gently so every clam is coated with sauce and aromatics.

local_fire_departmentMedium heat
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Watch out

Stir-fry gently, avoid excessive force that would knock the clam meat out of the shells.

Ingredients:fresh clams (2 lbs)
Tools:slotted spatulacarbon steel wok
12
Active Cooking
00:10:01

Pour in the prepared sauce, turn heat to high until boiling; then slowly pour in appropriate cornstarch slurry while stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats well without being overly gloopy.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat
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Watch out

Do not pour all the slurry at once, add gradually while observing, otherwise it will become too thick like paste.

Ingredients:oyster saucelight soy saucedark soy saucewhite pepper powdersugarwatercornstarch (2 tsp)
Tools:slotted spatulacarbon steel wok
13
Active Cooking
00:11:18
warningStay safe

Must use oven mitts when moving the hot carbon steel wok just removed from heat, direct bare-hand contact will cause severe burns.

Turn off heat, add 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp cooking oil, mix well then transfer clams to a serving plate, making sure to include every last drop of delicious sauce.

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Watch out

Scrape the sauce clean from the bottom of the wok when plating, that is the most flavorful part of the dish.

Ingredients:sesame oil (1 tsp)Cooking oil (1 tsp)fresh clams
Tools:serving platecarbon steel wok

groceryAll Ingredients

fresh clams2 lbs
water8.25 cup
ginger0.3 oz
Garlic1.5 clove
chili pepper1 piece
green onion1.5 piece
red onion0.75 oz
red bell pepper0.2 piece
oyster sauce1 tbsp
light soy sauce2 tsp
dark soy sauce1 tsp
white pepper powder0.25 tsp
sugar1 tsp
cornstarch2 tsp
Cooking oil2.33 tbsp
fermented black bean sauce1.5 tbsp
sesame oil1 tsp

blenderAll Tools Needed

metal bowlstrainerChinese cleavercutting boardbowlspoonslotted spatulacarbon steel woksmall knifeserving plate