Prawns in Black Bean Sauce

This is the Cantonese stir-fry that cemented Chinese black bean sauce in Western takeout culture, and the homemade version puts every delivery version to shame. Fermented black beans (douchi) get mashed with fresh ginger and garlic into a rough paste, which then becomes the intensely savory coating that clings to each prawn.

Rinsing the fermented black beans two or three times is a critical step. Unrinsed, they’re aggressively salty; properly rinsed, they become deeply umami without overwhelming the dish.

Mashing the beans with garlic and ginger by hand (or with the side of a cleaver) releases their oils and creates a thicker paste than processing would. You want texture, not slurry.

Butterflying the prawns ('cut along the back but don’t cut through') does double duty. It makes the shrimp cook evenly and creates more surface area for the sauce to cling to.

Stir-fry the green pepper briefly first and set it aside. It only needs a minute in the wok, and overcooking it turns the crisp-tender bite into army-drab mush.

The cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce from watery to glossy in about 30 seconds. Keep stirring so it coats evenly without lumping.

Chef Tips

• Use fermented black beans (douchi), not canned black beans. They’re different products entirely and the stir-fry depends on the fermented kind.
• Keep the wok screaming hot throughout. Underheated woks steam your food instead of searing it.
• Don’t overcook the shrimp. They’re done when the flesh turns from translucent to pink, about 2 to 3 minutes total.
• Serve immediately over steamed rice. Leftovers sog and the shrimp toughen on reheat.

Variations

• Add a splash of Shaoxing wine with the stock for more depth.
• Swap green pepper for broccoli florets or snow peas depending on what’s in season.
• Add sliced red chili or a pinch of chili flakes for heat alongside the savory black bean flavor.