3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1–2 fresh hot chiles, minced (or ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes)
4 scallions, separated: white part minced, green part cut on the diagonal in ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons Chinese black beans
¼ to ½ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry
2 pounds (900 g) shellfish (clams, mussels, crabs, and/or lobster) or 1 pound (450 g) of shrimp, fish, poultry, or pork
1½ tablespoons canola oil
½ cup onion cubes
1 red bell pepper or ½ red and ½ green peppers, cut in cubes
2–3 cups, thinly sliced vegetables (cabbage, snow peas, and/or carrots
Steamed white rice, optional
In small bowl, combine garlic, ginger root, chilies, scallion whites, and black beans.
In another small bowl, combine ¼ cup stock, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, and stir until sugar dissolves.
In a third small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in wine or sherry.
Scrub clams, if using, cut shellfish into 1-inch pieces or thinly slice poultry or meat.
Just before serving, heat a wok over high heat.
Swirl in canola oil.
Stir-Fry onion and bell pepper for a minute then add garlic and bean mixture and cook for 15 seconds, or until fragrant but not brown.
15 seconds
Add seafood and stir-fry for 1 minute.
1 minute
Add stock-based sauce and cook for 2 to 5 minutes, or until seafood is cooked; if necessary to prevent mixture from sticking to pan, add remaining stock. (If steaming clams, tightly cover wok.)
5 minutes
Stir cornstarch mixture and add to stir-fry along with scallion greens and sliced vegetables.
Bring sauce to a boil.
Serve immediately along with white rice if desired.