5 steamed black bean see Recipes

water-packed soft tofu (see notes ), chinese black-bean garlic sauce (see notes ), shaoxing rice wine (also called shaohsing wine) or dry sherry, sesame oil, soy sauce, dark soy sauce (see notes ) or 1 1/2 tsp. regular soy sauce mixed with 1/2 tsp. molasses, minced garlic, sugar, skinned halibut or salmon fillet, about 1/2 in. thick, peeled fresh ginger slivers, green onions , cut in 2-in.-long slivers

pork spareribs, cut into 1-inch lengths (have your butcher do this!), light soy sauce, dry sherry or 1/4 cup rice wine, garlic cloves, minced, fermented black beans, rinsed and mashed (dow see), brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic and red chile paste or 1 tbsp hot bean paste, cornstarch, green onions, green pepper , cut into julienne strips

boned , skinned chicken breasts, garlic, peeled and minced, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, vegetable oil, chinese salted fermented black beans (see note above), rinsed, drained, and minced, salt, hot cooked long-grain white rice

olive oil, onion, coarsely chopped, eggplants, red bell pepper, de-seeded, cut in 1-inch squares, green bell pepper, de-seeded, cut in 1-inch squares, green beans , ends snapped, cut in half and steamed for 3 minutes, mushrooms, sliced thickly or quartered, tomatoes, skin removed, cut in cubes (see note ), garlic, thinly sliced, dried marjoram, dried thyme, sea salt, black pepper, ground, fresh basil leaf , torn in pieces (a handful)