Posted on: Wednesday, August 25, 2004

LIGHT & LOCAL
Make black bean sauces healthier

By Carol Devenot

Perhaps you've wondered if it's possible to re-create the black bean sauce dishes served in Chinese restaurants without all that oil.

It can be done. Preparing vegetables in black bean sauce conjures up memories of Mom making bitter melon and black bean sauce. You can try this recipe with bitter melon or any other favorite Asian vegetable, such as baby bok choy or mustard greens. The secret is in the sauce.

But first, sometimes the asparagus you buy may not always be tender. It is easy to remedy this simply by blanching the tough parts (cooking them in boiling salted water just until they turn bright green) and then stopping the cooking in cold water, which lowers the internal temperature of the stalks and stops them from overcooking.

Stir-frying the asparagus gives the color and the texture you desire without overcooking the vegetable. You can use bottled garlic black bean sauce, but check the sodium content if you are watching your salt. I use brown sugar here, but you can substitute an equivalent amount of honey, brown rice syrup, or any sugar substitute to taste. The cornstarch or mochiko flour thickens the mixture. What a fast and easy meal. My Ah Ma would be proud.

Garlic Asparagus and Chicken in Black Bean Sauce

• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 pound chicken breast, skinned
• 1 pound asparagus, young and tender
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, crushed
• 2 tablespoons black beans, cooked and rinsed
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 round onion, cut into half moons
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or mochiko rice flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
• 2 sprigs of Chinese parsley

Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine" (Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.