Stir-fried Asparagus with Scallop
Thick asparagus from Mexico are now in season, so it’s time to cook my favourite stir-fried asparagus with scallop.
It is luxurious to cook this dish with thick asparagus just like the ones served at Chinese restaurants. They look more gourmet and have a better bite. The pencil thin ones just don’t make the cut for me in this dish (though they can still be used).
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I used to think it must be difficult to cook thick asparagus but that’s not true. Just simply blanching it first for a minute before wokking will make for a very quick asparagus stir-fry.
You can replace scallops with prawns, pacific clams, chicken or pork and/or add carrots and mushrooms. Asparagus pairs well with many ingredients in a Chinese stir-fry.
Stir-fried Asparagus with Scallop Recipe
You may substitute thick asparagus used in this recipe with 200 grams of thin asparagus. It is not needed to blanch thin asparagus prior to stir-frying.
Ingredients:
- 6 (200 grams) thick asparagus spears
- 6 medium fresh scallops thawed & patted dry on paper towels
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 dried chilli soaked in hot water until softened, de-seeded & sliced thinly
- 2 slices ginger finely chopped
(A) Sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese wine
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 dashes white pepper powder
Directions:
- Prep asparagus by trimming and discarding the lower ends of each spear. Using a vegetable peeler, shave and discard the outer skin of the stalk. Read this detailed tutorial for more information. Slice prepped asparagus diagonally to 1 cm section.
- Blanch asparagus spears in a boiling pot of water for 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Combine (A) in a small bowl, set aside.
- Heat oil in wok. Stir fry garlic, ginger and dried chilli for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add scallops, cook until opaque, then add the blanched asparagus and (A). Stir-fry briskly until everything is cooked and well mixed.