Wok-Tossed Crickets in Black Bean Sauce
High in protein and rich in minerals, crickets are the most popular insect eaten around the world. Tossing the crickets in a hot wok with Chinese fermented black beans is the best way to cook and eat the nutty, crunchy bugs. I think this is real food that deserves its place on American tables.
Watch Andrew make this recipe:
Wok-Tossed Crickets in Black Bean Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh crickets
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 5 hot dried chiles (tsin-tsin or arbol)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, sliced
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 2 tablespoons salted Chinese black beans
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups Chinese garlic chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons toban djan (hot chile fermented bean paste)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Place the crickets in the freezer for 10 minutes. Place them in a colander and shake.
Place wok over high heat for several minutes. Add oil and swirl, and when it’s aromatic and rippling add the hot chiles. Next add the garlic, ginger, shallot, black beans and brown sugar. Stir to combine then add the crickets. Toss for 90 seconds, then add the chives, soy sauce, toban djan and sesame oil. Toss a few more times as liquids evaporate and serve immediately.
• Chengdu-Style Chicken with Black Beans & Chiles
• Wok-Tossed Clams in Black Bean Sauce
• Wok-Tossed Asparagus in Black Bean Sauce
