Recipe: Black Bean Sauces (oriental & tex-mex)

These recipes include other ingredients to complete the dishes, i.e., vegetables & chicken. However, you can easily isolate the sauce parts. Enjoy!

Oriental Black Bean Sauce with Steamed Vegetables

2 Tbsp black bean paste (found in oriental section of market)
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 lb. vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces

Mix together the black bean paste, soy sauce, water and corn starch until very smooth. Heat a wok or large saucepan to medium high. Add some water and quickly stir-fry them til crisp-tender. When they're sufficiently heated (about 2 minutes) add the sauce. Stir constantly to coat the vegetables (sauce will get very thick). Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

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San Antonio Chicken With Picante Black Bean Sauce

6 Chicken breast halves; boned and skinned
2 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Garlic salt
1 tbl Vegetable oil

1 cup canned Black beans, rinsed & drained
1 16 oz. can Whole kernel corn; drained
2/3 cup Salsa
1/2 cup Diced red bell pepper
2 tbl Chopped cilantro

Sprinkle both sides of chicken with 1 teaspoon of the cumin and the garlic salt. Heat oil in 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes. In medium bowl, combine beans, corn, salsa, red pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin. Turn chicken; spoon bean mixture evenly over chicken. Reduce heat to medium; cook uncovered 6-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Push bean mixture off chicken into skillet. Transfer chicken to serving platter, using a slotted spoon; keep warm. Cook bean mix ture over high heat 2-3 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently; spoon over chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with additional salsa.

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Another simple Tex-Mex black bean sauce (really thick, for dipping) is to mix a can of refried black beans with an equal amount of salsa. Very simple and very good!