Mark Bittman's Stir Fry Shrimp with Black Beans & Bok Choy

Stir-Fried Shrimp With Black Beans & Bok Choy
Mark Bittman for NY Times

Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fermented black beans, sold in Asian markets
2 tablespoons dry sherry or white wine
About 1 ½ pounds uncooked shrimp, in the 20 to 30 per pound size range, peeled
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, sliced, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 pound bok choy or other cabbage, trimmed, washed and dried
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon peeled and minced or grated fresh ginger
¾ cup chicken stock or white wine, optional
¼ cup minced scallions.

Directions:
1. Soak black beans in sherry, wine or water. In large bowl, marinate shrimp in ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sliced garlic, salt and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

2. Separate bok choy leaves from stems; chop stems into ½ - to 1-inch pieces, and roughly chop leaves.

3. Preheat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and raise heat to high. When it begins to smoke, add minced garlic and, immediately thereafter, shrimp and its marinade. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon it out of wok or skillet.

4. Put remaining peanut oil in wok or skillet and, when it smokes, add ginger, followed immediately by bok choy stems. Cook, stirring, until bok choy is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes, then add leaves. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add 3/4 cup water, stock or white wine and let it bubble away for a minute.

5. Return shrimp to wok or skillet and stir; add black beans and their liquid, scallions, and remaining sugar and soy sauce. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat, drizzle remaining sesame oil on top, and serve.