Cantonese / American Chinese Recipe
Black Bean Sauce Stir-Fry
Chicken, beef, shrimp, squid, or clams with black bean sauce use fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, and a savory brown sauce.
Recipe at a glance
| Purpose | High-frequency Chinese restaurant menu dish |
| Cuisine or format | Cantonese / American Chinese |
| Menu variation rule | Protein may be adjusted without creating a separate recipe family. |
Ingredients
- 12 oz chicken, beef, shrimp, squid, clams, tofu, or vegetables
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 bell pepper or onion
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup stock or water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch slurry
- Neutral oil
Method
- Prepare protein and vegetables.
- Stir-fry protein until nearly cooked.
- Fry garlic, ginger, and fermented black beans.
- Add vegetables and toss.
- Add soy sauce, sugar, and stock.
- Return protein and finish cooking.
- Thicken lightly.
Variations and substitutions
- For chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or mixed seafood variants, keep the same sauce logic and adjust the cooking time for the protein.
- For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
- For takeout-style dishes, sauce texture matters: the sauce should coat the food rather than become a thin soup.