BreezyCooking
Banned
I could have sworn that I posted this recipe before, but several searches turned up nothing, so here goes. This is a real favorite around here, & with fresh asparagus hitting the markets, I threw it together last night for dinner. It's worth the effort to get authentic salted/preserved fermented black beans. Not only is there really no substitute for their unique flavor, but they last forever (& I do mean FOREVER) in your pantry if kept in an airtight container. If you don't have an Asian market nearby, good old Amazon.com carries them. (Buy the regular kind, not the type with added seasonings like ginger or garlic.)
Breezy Chicken Asparagus with Oyster/Black Bean Sauce
One pkge. (approx. a pound or so) boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders cut into bitesized pieces
1 bunch fresh asparagus (about a pound or so), tough ends trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
2 stalks of Bok Choy, ends trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
2" piece of fresh Ginger, peeled & minced or grated
3-4 large cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
3 tablespoons Chinese salted/preserved/fermented black beans
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon Asian garlic chili paste/sauce
8 fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed & quartered
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon dry sherry & one tablespoon water (optional)
3 tablespoons or so Peanut or vegetable oil for stirfrying
Cooked Jasmine Rice for serving.
Soak preserved black beans in hot tap water to cover & let sit for 15 minutes. Drain beans, add garlic, & mash together with a fork to make a rough paste. Add sherry, oyster sauce, & chile paste & stir.
Bring a pot of water large enough to hold asparagus pieces to a boil & add all asparagus pieces except for the tips. Boil for 2 minutes, then add tips & boil for another minute. Drain.
Make rice according to package directions.
Heat wok (or large frying/saute pan) until drop of water sizzles. Add oil & swirl.
Add Bok Choy & ginger & stirfry for 1 minute. Add chicken pieces & continue stirfrying until chicken is just about cooked thru. Add mushrooms & stirfry for another minute. Add blanched asparagus & bean paste mixture & stir for another minute. If sauce isn’t think enough, add dissolved cornstarch mixture & continue stirring until thickened.
Serve over Jasmine Rice.
(Leftovers are just as delicious nuked for lunch.)
Breezy Chicken Asparagus with Oyster/Black Bean Sauce
One pkge. (approx. a pound or so) boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders cut into bitesized pieces
1 bunch fresh asparagus (about a pound or so), tough ends trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
2 stalks of Bok Choy, ends trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
2" piece of fresh Ginger, peeled & minced or grated
3-4 large cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
3 tablespoons Chinese salted/preserved/fermented black beans
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon Asian garlic chili paste/sauce
8 fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed & quartered
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon dry sherry & one tablespoon water (optional)
3 tablespoons or so Peanut or vegetable oil for stirfrying
Cooked Jasmine Rice for serving.
Soak preserved black beans in hot tap water to cover & let sit for 15 minutes. Drain beans, add garlic, & mash together with a fork to make a rough paste. Add sherry, oyster sauce, & chile paste & stir.
Bring a pot of water large enough to hold asparagus pieces to a boil & add all asparagus pieces except for the tips. Boil for 2 minutes, then add tips & boil for another minute. Drain.
Make rice according to package directions.
Heat wok (or large frying/saute pan) until drop of water sizzles. Add oil & swirl.
Add Bok Choy & ginger & stirfry for 1 minute. Add chicken pieces & continue stirfrying until chicken is just about cooked thru. Add mushrooms & stirfry for another minute. Add blanched asparagus & bean paste mixture & stir for another minute. If sauce isn’t think enough, add dissolved cornstarch mixture & continue stirring until thickened.
Serve over Jasmine Rice.
(Leftovers are just as delicious nuked for lunch.)
