Bao Chao Hua Ge (Spicy Stir-fried Clams)
The beer disappears like water! "Fast clam stir-frying" created by the hot air of street food stalls
Description
The 100% must-order seafood snack at Chinese summer night markets (Dai Pai Dong). Fresh clams are flash-fried over max wok heat with garlic, ginger, dried chilies, and Doubanjiang. Glazed with a special soy sauce the instant the shells open.
Restaurants serving Bao Chao Hua Ge (Spicy Stir-fried Clams)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Clams
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Green/Red chilies
- Doubanjiang
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Coriander
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Purge clams in salt water. Blanch briefly until they slightly open; drain instantly.
- Mince scallion, ginger, and garlic; slice green and red chilies.
- Mix soy, oyster sauce, wine, sugar, and starch slurry in a bowl.
- Heat oil; fry garlic, ginger, Doubanjiang, and chilies on high to bloom aroma.
- Dump in the clams and toss violently.
- Splash the pre-made sauce, tossing on high until the sauce coats the shells tightly.
- Garnish with scallions and cilantro.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Deep heat of Doubanjiang and umami of oyster sauce、オイスターソースの旨味
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Can be made with JP supermarket clams by frying on high heat in a skillet
Pairing
Cold Beer (Absolutely mandatory) / Edamame
Trivia
'Bao Chao' is a unique Chinese technique of flash-frying in ultra-hot oil for seconds. It locks in the umami before the clam meat shrinks, an art born from street stall fire power.
Eating tips & etiquette
Pick up the shells by hand, lick the spicy sauce off the outside, and suck the meat out. The discard bowl will rapidly become a mountain of empty shells.
Allergen
Seafood, Soybeans, Wheat