- 1/2 cup whole fermented black beans
- 1 1/2 pounds firm tofu (two 1 1/2-inch-thick squares), each cut into 8 triangles
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 24 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup peeled and finely julienned fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup Chinese cooking wine
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 12 cilantro sprigs
- In a bowl, cover the black beans with water and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain.
- In a wok, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Set a bamboo steamer in the wok. Spread the tofu pieces on a heatproof plate and set it in the steamer. Cover and steam the tofu over moderately high heat for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until pink and curled, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the ginger and garlic and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the black beans and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the wine, stock and sugar and simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the tofu and shrimp to plates. Top with the sauce and cilantro and serve.