Good friend Renee asked for a “stir-fry recipe for us dummies.” We went to Costco today and got a large bag of asparagus and some frozen, raw tail-on shrimp. So this inspired me to make this dish. It is important to marinate the shrimp a bit to add flavor. Adding the cornstarch to the marinate coats the shrimp and allows the shrimp to get a little more crisp when fried, a bit like tempura.
Renee, if you don’t have all the ingredients, don’t stress. You can leave out the sesame oil, sesame seeds, use white wine instead of the sherry, but you really need to use ginger and garlic, otherwise it’s going to be quite bland. A trick with fresh ginger I have learned is to peel it with a spoon, the skin comes right off, you can grate it or just chop it really fine.
| Author: Jim Kirkley
Quick, easy and low-calorie. Just don’t over-cook the asparagus. It should still be crisp when done. Serve with white rice Serves: 4 |
Stir-fried Shrimp and Asparagus |
INGREDIENTS
FOR SHRIMP
1 pound, raw shrimp – peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon, dry sherry
1 tablespoon, soy sauce
1 tablespoon, corn starch
1 tablespoon, sugar
1/2 teaspoon, toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon, red pepper flakes
FOR ASPARAGUS
1 tablespoon, soy sauce
2 cloves, garlic – finely minced
1 tablespoon, fresh ginger – grated (about a 1″ knob)
1 teaspoon, sesame seeds
1 pound, fresh asparagus – cut into 1″ pieces on the diagonal
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons, cooking oil – divided
fresh ground black pepper – to taste
METHOD
- Combine first seven ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.
- Heat wok or large non-stick frying pan over high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Chow garlic and ginger in oil for a few seconds, add sesame seeds and asparagus. Add a few grinds of black pepper.
- Cook 2 minutes tossing occasionally. Splash on soy sauce, toss then remove.
- Add a bit more oil. Remove shrimp from marinate and add to wok or frying pan. Arrange in a single layer.
- Cook undesturbed until shrimp are pink around the edges and first side is golden. Toss and continue to cook until shrimp are opaque all the way through, about a minute or two longer.
- Return asparagus to pan and toss about 30 seconds. Add lemon juice.
- Serve immediately.
Thicker asparagus works best in this recipe. Pencil-thin asparagus will cook too quickly and become limp. Cut or snap off the woody ends.
