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Stir-fried clams with XO sauce
Serves 2-4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 2tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2tbsp ginger, cut into julienne
- 1kg small clams
- 3tbsp XO sauce (see recipe, below)
- 3tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 3tbsp chicken stock
- 1tbsp light soy sauce
- 1⁄2tsp dark soy sauce
- 1⁄2tsp sugar
- 2 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
- 1 long red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
For the XO sauce
- 100g dried scallops, rinsed
- 30g dried shrimp, rinsed
- 30g dried red chillies, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
- 500ml vegetable oil, plus extra for storing
- 150g garlic, finely chopped
- 150g red Asian shallots, finely chopped
- 20g ginger, finely chopped
- 150g long red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
- 200g jamón, finely chopped
- 15g dried shrimp roe (optional) sugar, to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a wok. When hot, add the garlic and ginger and stir- fry for 15 seconds or until fragrant. Add the clams and XO sauce, give them a good toss, then add the rice wine, chicken stock, soy sauces and sugar. Clams can be very salty, so be judicious with seasoning. Stir to combine and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and cook, checking frequently and removing the clams as they open, which will be different depending on their size.
When all of the clams are
cooked, add the spring onions
and chilli to the sauce, then pour
the sauce over the clams. Serve
with steamed rice or with mantou
buns to mop up the sauce.
For the XO sauce
Put the scallops and shrimp in separate containers, cover with warm water and leave them to soak overnight.
When ready to cook, drain the scallops into a bowl, reserving the soaking water, and shred the scallops with your fingers to separate the fibres. Drain the dried shrimp, reserving the soaking water, and finely chop. Set both aside. Drain the softened dried chillies and pound or grind to a coarse paste. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, shallots and ginger and stir-fry for 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the dried and fresh chillies and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the scallops, shrimp and jamón and stir-fry gently for another 5 minutes. Add the reserved soaking liquids and stir well. Cook for 20-30 minutes over a medium-to- low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated.
Add the shrimp roe, if you are using it, and season with sugar and salt to taste.
Cool, place in jars, cover with
oil and store in the refrigerator
for a month or so, topping up
the oil occasionally.
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