Spicy Chicken in Black Bean Sauce

Fermented black beans, while not as ubiquitous in Chinese cooking as soy sauce, are a worthy pantry staple for any Chinese cooking aficionado. These little soybeans, packed and fermented in salt, give a pungent dimension to your stir-fry sauces. You may have encountered them before in Cantonese black bean spare ribs (usually served at dim sum) or Sichuan dishes like mapo tofu or twice-cooked pork. Just a tiny amount can add a big whopping amount of umani to your everyday stir-fry.

Yield:

Serves 4 as part of a multi-course meal

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons peanut oil
2. 1 lb chicken breast, diced
3. 1 tablespoon yellow rice wine (preferably Shaoxing)
4. 2 leeks, white parts thinly sliced
5. 1 piece ginger, minced
6. 1/4 teaspoon hot chili oil
7. 2 tablespoons fermented black beans, rinsed
8. 2 tablespoons soy sauce
9. 1 tablespoon water
10. 1 tablespoon white rice vinegar
11. White rice for serving

Directions

1. another minute. Add fermented black bean. Stir in soy sauce, water, and rice vinegar to coat chicken. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with white rice.

Notes