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Hong Kong-Style Clams in Black Bean Sauce

Name: Hong Kong-Style Clams in Black Bean Sauce
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: cantonese
Ingredients: clams; shallot; Garlic; garlic black bean sauce; chili bean sauce; white pepper powder; light soy sauce; dark soy sauce; oyster sauce; sugar; Cooking oil; Shaoxing wine; cornstarch; water; cilantro

groups3 servingsspeedEasycountertopsPrep: 90 minsskilletCook: 10 minsscheduleTotal: 100 minsoutdoor_grillStir-frylocal_fire_departmentMild

Allergens:warningShellfishwarningMolluscswarningSoywarningGluten

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

9 Steps Total

schedulePrepare in advance

circleClams need to be soaked in water for 1.5 hours in advance to purge sand.1.5h

Preparation

00:02:05

Place 1200g of clams into a basin
Cover with room temperature water
Soak for 1.5 hours to let the clams spit out sand

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Watch out

Gentle stirring occasionally encourages clams to open and spit sand

Avoid hot water which can kill the clams

Ingredients:clams (1200 g)water

Tools:basin

Preparation

00:03:22

In a small bowl, combine 0.25 tsp white pepper powder, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 tsp sugar
Stir well and set aside

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Watch out

Premixing ensures sugar dissolves fully and coats clams evenly without burning.

Ingredients:white pepper powder (0.25 tsp)light soy sauce (1 tbsp)dark soy sauce (1 tbsp)oyster sauce (1 tbsp)sugar (1 tsp)

Tools:mixing bowl

Preparation

00:03:46

After purging, scoop out the clams by hand into a colander to drain
Change water and rinse 2–3 times

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Watch out

Always scoop clams out by hand

Never pour the entire basin of water over the clams, or sand from the bottom will reattach

Ingredients:clams

Tools:colander

Active Cooking

00:04:15

warningStay safe

Be careful of hot steam and splashing boiling water when draining the clams.

Bring 1000ml water to a boil over high heat
Add clams
Blanch for about 1 minute until shells slightly open and release remaining sand
Drain and rinse under cold water

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, approx. 1 minute

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Watch out

Do not blanch too long

Remove as soon as shells crack open slightly, or the meat will become tough

Ingredients:water (1000 ml)clams

Tools:pot

Preparation

00:04:44

warningStay safe

Hold knife securely and apply gentle pressure when prying open shells to avoid slipping and cutting yourself.

Inspect the blanched clams
Carefully pry open any remaining closed shells with a small pairing knife
Discard any dead or off-smelling clams

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Watch out

A single dead clam with off odor can ruin the entire dish.

Ingredients:clams

Tools:knife

Active Cooking

00:05:06

Heat wok over high heat with 1.5 tbsp cooking oil
Add 1 minced shallot and 2 minced garlic cloves, stir-fry until fragrant
Stir in 1 tbsp garlic black bean sauce and 0.5 tbsp chili bean sauce
Stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, approx. 30 seconds

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Watch out

Stir-fry paste briefly

Cooking too long on extreme heat will cause it to burn and turn bitter

Ingredients:Cooking oil (1.5 tbsp)shallot (1 piece)Garlic (2 clove)garlic black bean sauce (1 tbsp)chili bean sauce (0.5 tbsp)

Tools:spatulawok

Active Cooking

00:05:39

Splash 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine along the edge of the hot wok for aroma
Immediately add clams and stir-fry over high heat
Pour in 100ml water to reach the bottom of clams and let steam until all shells open

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, approx. 1–2 minutes

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Watch out

Do not add too much water

A small amount creates enough steam without diluting the black bean flavor

Ingredients:Shaoxing wine (1 tbsp)water (100 ml)clams

Tools:wok

Active Cooking

00:06:21

When most clams open, pour in the prepared seasoning sauce
Toss rapidly over high heat so every clam is coated in sauce

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, approx. 30 seconds

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Watch out

Toss quickly but gently to avoid detaching the clam meat from their shells.

Tools:spatula

Active Cooking

00:06:56

Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water into a slurry
Pour slurry into boiling sauce while stir-frying rapidly until the sauce thickens and clings to clams
Turn off heat, plate, garnish with 1 sprig cilantro, and serve

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, approx. 20 seconds

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Watch out

Stir immediately after adding cornstarch slurry to prevent clumping

Turn off heat as soon as sauce thickens

Ingredients:cornstarch (1 tsp)watercilantro (1 piece)

Tools:serving plate