Black Bean Sauce Squid
Submitted by jacklar
Classic Chinese stir-fried squid in fermented black bean sauce with garlic, ginger, rice wine, and scallions. Sounds fancy, cooks in minutes. Easier than you think.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minIf the words “fermented black bean sauce” make you nervous, relax. This is one of the simplest stir-fries you’ll ever make.
The “sauce” is just fermented salted black beans mashed with a bit of rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar. Let that sit for 15 minutes while you prep the garlic, ginger, and scallions.
Then it’s wok time. Garlic and ginger sizzle in oil, squid goes in for a lightning-fast 30-second toss, and the black bean mixture follows. Two minutes of high-heat stirring and a quick hit of cornstarch to thicken, and you’re plating.
Serve it over steamed jasmine rice and watch people’s faces when you tell them it took less time than ordering takeout.
Pro Tips
- High heat is everything. Your wok or pan needs to be screaming hot before the squid goes in. Low heat = rubbery squid.
- Don’t overcook the squid. Two and a half minutes total is the max. It goes from tender to chewy fast.
- Rinse the fermented black beans briefly before using if you’re sensitive to salt. They’re intensely salty straight from the package.
Ingredients
Directions
Many people shy away from dishes with names like Black Bean Sauce Squid because they think it involves the preparation of a complicated sauce.
In fact it is quite easy. The black beans themselves, fermented and salted when you buy them, are the sauce.
All you do is add a little rice wine to make a paste.
Then it’s just like any other stir-fry a couple of minutes of high-heat cooking, continuously stirring, and the dish is done.
Prepare black bean sauce mixture by adding to the beans: rice wine, soy sauce and sugar.
Let sit for 15 minutes.
Sauté garlic and ginger in the oil over medium heat in a heavy frying pan or wok until garlic is slightly browned.
Turn up heat. Add squid and scallions.
Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Pour in black bean sauce mixture, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add cornstarch and, when sauce thickens, remove from heat and serve.
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