Clams With Asian Noodles

• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh hot green chili pepper
• 36 littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 1/2 cups salt-free chicken stock
• 1/4 cup rice wine
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 12 ounces Japanese soba (buckwheat noodles)
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1. Rinse the black beans in several changes of water to remove excess salt.
2. Pat them dry, then lightly crush them.
3. Set them aside.
4. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or a heavy casserole.
5. Add the garlic, ginger and chili pepper and saute about a minute.
6. Add the clams and stir.
7. Add the chicken stock and rice wine, stir, then cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the clams have opened.
8. Allow the clams to simmer in the broth another six minutes.
9. Taste the broth.
10. If it is too salty, add a little water or unseasoned chicken stock.
11. Remove the pot from the heat.
12. While the clams are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the noodles and cook them about five minutes.
13. Drain the noodles and place them in a warm serving dish.
14. Toss them with the sesame oil.
15. Reheat the clams, still in their shells, in their broth then pour the contents of the pot over the noodles.
16. Sprinkle with scallions and coriander and serve

black beans, peanut oil, garlic, fresh ginger, fresh hot green chili pepper, littleneck clams, salt, rice wine, sesame oil, japanese, scallions, coriander leaves

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4512 (may not work)