Fresh rice noodles are becoming increasingly available. If you can’t find them, you can substitute dried rice noodles; look for the thick noodles you would use in Pad Thai. Soak the noodles in hot water for 15 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
2 lb (about 1 kg) Manila clams
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed oil
1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh garlic
2 Tbsp (30 mL) fermented black beans (or bean sauce)
1 red pepper, cored and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 small red chili, seeded and minced
1 Tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 cup (250 mL) clam juice (from cooking)
1 Tbsp (15 mL) tapioca flour
1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
1 lb (454 g) fresh rice noodles
Heat a large saucepan over medium and add about ¼ cup (60 mL) water. Toss in the clams and bring to a boil. Stir clams and remove clams as they open, placing them in a mixing bowl. Repeat until all the clams have opened. After 5 minutes of cooking, discard any clams that have not opened. Reserve 1 cup (250 mL) of the clam cooking juice; discard the remainder (including any sediment on the bottom).
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high. Add the oil, ginger, garlic, and black beans. Sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant but not burning. Add the pepper, onion, and chili. Sauté for an additional minute. Add the honey and allow to melt, then quickly add the clam juice and stir to mix. Bring back to a boil. Mix the tapioca flour with an equal amount of cold water; stir until dissolved. Pour the mixture into the boiling sauce and stir to mix well. Add the sesame oil and cilantro and set aside until needed.
Place the fresh rice noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 1–2 minutes. Drain the noodles and immediately add to the hot black bean sauce along with the clams. Stir to mix and transfer immediately to a serving plate. Serve warm.
SERVES 4