Chicken in black bean sauce
This is the real chicken in black bean sauce without gloopy stabilisers and extra sugar. The secret is a few savoury fermented black beans.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 450g/1lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 5cm/2in pieces
- 1 tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
- 1½ tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
- 2½ tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and drained, roughly chopped
- 3½ tbsp finely chopped spring onions
- 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
Method
Mix together the soy sauce, rice wine, salt, sugar, sesame oil and cornflour in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and refrigerate for 1 hour. Drain and discard the marinade.
Heat a wok or a large frying pan over a high heat until hot. Add the oil and when very hot, add the chicken and stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add the ginger, garlic, shallots, black beans and 1½ tablespoons of the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Cover the wok or pan and simmer for 8–10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
Garnish with the remaining spring onions and serve.
Recipe Tips
You can marinade the chicken for up to a day before cooking. If you're really pressed for time, 20 minutes is better than nothing.