Chinese Black Bean Sauce with Vegetable-Fish Stir-Fry

We like to serve this dish with rice noodles or rice, and it may be prepared with either fish or shrimp. Try serving rice noodles at room temperature in the summer. If you have a large wok, you can stir-fry the fish and vegetables together. Or, cook the fish or shrimp separately, stir-fry the vegetables and sauce together, and serve the fish over noodles or rice, topping it with the sauce and vegetables at the last minute.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

CHINESE BLACK BEAN SAUCE

MAKES: 3 cups

• 3 cups water
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 3 dried cayenne peppers (optional)
• 1 tablespoon star anise
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large head of roasted garlic
• 1/3 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup Chinese fermented black beans (available at Asian markets)

VEGETABLE-FISH STIR-FRY

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (optional: Use only if sauteing shrimp separately)
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh fish or shrimp
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 small stalk broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 cup sliced enoki or shiitake mushrooms
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces (including green tops)
• 3 cups Chinese Black Bean Sauce
• 1 cup pea pods, deveined
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot dissolved in 1/2 cup cooled Chinese Black Bean Sauce
• rice noodles (1/2 pound serves 4) or rice

INSTRUCTIONS:

CHINESE BLACK BEAN SAUCE

1. In a saucepan bring water, onion, carrot, cayenne, star anise, peppercorns, ginger, smashed garlic, and salt to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Strain. Reserve the liquid and discard the rest.
2. Combine mirin, tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, and black beans. Set aside to soak the beans while the stock is simmering.
3. Roast 1 head of garlic in a 400° oven for approximately 20 minutes or until garlic feels soft.
4. Let it cool until you can handle it, and then squeeze out the garlic pulp from the skin, peeling the skin back a little if necessary.
5. Whisk the garlic pulp into the stock. Add the black bean mixture. Set aside for later use in Vegetable-Fish Stir-Fry.

VEGETABLE-FISH STIR-FRY

1. Fish: If you are using fish, clean and cut fish into large pieces—about 2 inches by 3 inches. Broil or saute fish (while stir-frying vegetables) until just done. Place cooked fish on top of rice or noodles, and top with the sauce and vegetables, and serve.
2. Shrimp: If you are sautéing the shrimp separately, heat 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil in a saute pan. Sauté the shrimp for a few minutes until just barely done and tender. Set aside, and cook the vegetables, adding the shrimp to the vegetables and sauce immediately before serving.
3. In a large wok or sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil. Add the broccoli and carrots and saute for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell peppers, and garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. If you have enough room to stir-fry your fish with the vegetables, add it with the mushrooms and bell peppers.
5. Add ginger, scallions, and sauce.
6. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes.
7. If you are using shrimp and you want to cook them with the vegetables, add them now.
8. Add pea pods, and stir in the cornstarch that has been dissolved in sauce. Stir for a minute or two until it has thickened slightly.
9. Serve on top of the rice or noodles (and fish or shrimp).