Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce

Appetizers, Home Cooking, Mains & Sides, Seafood By
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Today we will learn how to cook Chinese clams.

“Armored Flower” Spicy Clams

Clams are mainly distributed in the North and South Seas of China, and Fujian and Guangdong produce the most. Clams are a relatively common type of seafood. So this “Armored Flower” spicy clams dish is popular in barbecue shops and restaurants. In English, this recipe is more accurately known as Chinese Clams in Black Bean Sauce, but the the Chinese name has a literary quality, describing the opened clam like a flower with armor.

I once had this clam dish for dinner at a party, and I became a fan. When I find a dish that I enjoy, I want to eat it again, so I want to learn to make this dish for myself. While tasting it, I am also learning how to cook it.  So, let us learn how to cook Chinese clams together. 

The ingredients we need to prepare are: 

Seasonings: 

How to make Chinese Clams: Cilantro, green onions, garlic, ginger and Tien Tsin peppers for "Armored Flower" Spicy Clams
Fresh ingredients: green onion, ginger, garlic, coriander, and Tien Tsin peppers Image Credit: My Chinese Home Kitchen, 2021

Preparation:

  1. Soak the clams in water with 1 tablespoon of salt and half a tablespoon of cooking oil. Let them soak for 30 minutes.
    NOTE: When we steam clams, we always clean them under cold tap water with a brush, and discard any with broken shells or open shells. If the clam shell is open, the clam is dead, and possibly spoiled.  
    Soak the clams in salt water with a bit of oil to leech out sand
  2. Cut the green onion into sections and divide it into white and green parts. Next, take three of the ginger slices and cut into chunks, then mince the other three slices. Then, cut the coriander into sections. Finally, chop the pepper and garlic cloves. 
    Fresh ingredients for Jing's Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce
  3. Prepare the sauce: add Lao Gan Ma Chili Paste with Black Bean Sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white sugar, starch. Add 4 tablespoons of water. Stir well. 
    mix the sauce for Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce Sauce for homemade Chinese "Armored Flower" Spicy Clams

How to determine if Littleneck Clams are alive or dead before cooking

Cooking:

  1. Place the clams in a pan and cover with cold water, then add the wine and the ginger chunks, and bring to a boil. As the clam shells open, remove the opened clams with slotted spoon and place them in a bowl. When all the clams are opened, discard the ginger and hot water from the pan.
    Cover the clams and ginger with water, bring to a boil: "Armored Flower" Spicy Clams by Chen Jing Steam the clams until they open, remove them as they open to avoid overcooking The steamed clams open like a flower with armor, Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce
  2. Heat the oil in the wok, pour the white onions, minced ginger, garlic, chilli into the wok, stir-fry until they are fragrant, then add the sauce. Fry over a medium fire for 20 seconds. 
    stir-fry the white onion, Tien Tsin peppers, ginger, and garlic for "Armored Flower" Spicy Clams by Chen Jing Stir-fry the sauce for 20 seconds, homemade Chinese "Armored Flower" Spicy Clams by Chen Jing
  3. Keep the wok on the medium fire. Pour the clams into the wok and stir-fry until the clams are completely coated with the sauce. 
    Add the steamed, opened clams to the sauce
  4. Add the green parts of the green onions and coriander, stir-fry evenly and remove from the wok.
    Add the green onion and coriander, "Armored Flower" Spicy Clams Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce by Chen Jing
  5. Serve.

Notes:

  • Soaking the clams in salt and cooking oil allow the clams to spit out the remaining sand in their bodies. 
  • Seasonings can be adjusted to suit your taste. 
Homemade Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce by Chen Jing

Chinese Spicy Clams with Black Bean Sauce

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In English, this recipe is more accurately known as Chinese Clams in Black Bean Sauce, but the the Chinese name has a literary quality, describing the opened clam like a flower with armor. I once had this clam dish for dinner at a party, and I became a fan. When I find a dish that I enjoy, I want to eat it again, so I want to learn to make this dish for myself. While tasting it, I am also learning how to cook it.  So, let us learn how to cook Chinese clams together. 
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese Home Cooking
Servings 2 servings
Calories 503 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Seasonings

Instructions
 

Preparation:

  • Soak the clams in water with 1 teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of cooking oil. Let them soak for 30 minutes. : When we steam clams, we always clean them under cold tap water with a brush, and discard any with broken shells or open shells. If the clam shell is open, the clam is dead, and possibly spoiled.  
    Soak the clams in salt water with a bit of oil to leech out sand. How to cook Chinese clam recipes
  • Cut the green onion into sections and divide it into white and green parts. Next, take three of the ginger slices and cut into chunks, then mince the other three slices. Then, cut the coriander into sections. Finally, chop the pepper and garlic cloves. 
    Fresh ingredients
  • Prepare the sauce: add Lao Gan Ma (Lao Gan Ma), oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white sugar, starch.
    1 tablespoon Laoganma chili oil with black bean paste, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, white (granulated), 1 tablespoon corn starch
    Sauce recipe for Chinese Spicy "Flower Armor" Clams recipe
  • Add 4 teaspoons of water. Stir well.
    Sauce for authentic Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce

Cooking

  • Place the clams in a pan and cover with cold water, then add the wine and the ginger chunks, and bring to a boil. 
    1 lb “Littleneck” hard (quahog) clams, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine, 6 slices fresh ginger
    Cover the clams and ginger with water, bring to a boil: How to Cook Chinese Clams
  • As the clam shells open, remove the opened clams with slotted spoon and place them in a bowl. 
    Steam the clams until they open, remove them as they open to avoid overcooking
  • When all the clams are opened, discard the ginger and hot water from the pan.
    The steamed clams open like a flower with armor
  • Heat the oil in the wok, pour the white onions, minced ginger, garlic, and chili peppers into the wok, stir-fry until they are fragrant.
    5 scallion, 6 slices fresh ginger, 6 cloves garlic, 3 xiao mi la (millet) chili peppers
    stir-fry the white parts of green onion, minced ginger, Tien Tsin peppers, and garlic.
  • Then add the sauce. Fry over a medium fire for 20 seconds. 
    Stir-fry the sauce for 20 seconds.
  • Keep the wok on the medium fire. Pour the clams into the wok and stir-fry until the clams are completely coated with the sauce.
    Add the steamed, opened clams to the sauce
  • Add the green parts of the green onions and coriander.
    5 scallion, 1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
    Add the green onion and coriander.
  • Stir-fry evenly and remove from the wok.
    Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce by Chen Jing
  • Serve.

Notes

  • Soaking the clams in salt and cooking oil allow the clams to spit out the remaining sand in their bodies. 
  • Seasonings can be adjusted to suit your taste. 

    • Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingsCalories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 48gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2.3gTrans Fat: 0.246gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 2549mgPotassium: 601mgFiber: 3.3gSugar: 7.8g
    Keyword cilantro, clams, cooking wine, corn starch, garlic, ginger, laoganma chili oil with black bean, littleneck clams, oyster sauce, quahog, scallions, soy sauce, dark, soy sauce, light, sugar, white, xiao mi la chili peppers
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    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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