Stir-Fried Shrimp and Chinese Broccoli in Black Bean Sauce

Serves 4

¾ pound gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or

regular broccoli

1 tablespoon fermented Chinese black beans

1½ tablespoons rice wine or dry Sherry

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

½ to 1 teaspoon red chile oil, or ¼ to ½

teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 green onions, three finely sliced into thin rings, three cut into 1-inch lengths

½ cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon sugar

1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

Steamed rice, for serving

Instructions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the gai lan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the gai lan to remove the excess water, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

To make the sauce: Put the black beans in a small bowl and add the rice wine. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the rice wine. With the back of a fork, mash the beans to a paste. Transfer to a bowl and add the garlic, ginger, chile oil and sliced green onions. In a second bowl, whisk together the reserved rice wine, chicken stock, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar.

To make the shrimp: Season the shrimp with salt.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan with a lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the black bean mixture and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds (the black bean paste might stick to the pan a bit, but this is OK). Add the shrimp and the remaining green onion pieces and stir-fry just until the shrimp begin to turn pink. Add the blanched gai lan and stir to combine. Give the chicken stock mixture a stir (the cornstarch will have sunk to the bottom), then pour into the pan. Cover immediately and cook, shaking the pan back and forth, for about 2 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring, until the shrimp is bright pink, about 2 minutes more; there should still be some visible sauce in the pan. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately, with rice alongside to soak up the sauce.