Sauteed Snow Peas and Asparagus

Sometimes you just need a dish of simple sauteed veggies as part of your dinner.  This is the perfect light side for almost any Asian dish.  The flavors of the ginger, garlic and sesame oil are wonderful, but light so that they won't compete with the flavors of your entree.  I love the crunch of the snow peas, and I think that the combination of the snow peas and the asparagus created wonderful dish - both in terms of texture and flavor.  This whole dish just screamed spring to me, which I love.

Recipe after the jump!

Sauteed Snow Peas and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS:

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

8 oz. snow peas

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup chicken stock, 2 tbsp reserved

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add oil, ginger and garlic while the pan is heating up.  Once the ginger and garlic are fragrant, add the snow peas and asparagus.  Stir-fry, tossing with tongs to coat the vegetables evenly in the oil, about 30 seconds.  Add chicken stock (less 2 tbsp), oyster sauce, and salt.  Stir ingredients together.  Bring liquid to a boil, then cover, steaming vegetables until tender, about 3 minutes.  Add cornstarch to the 2 tbsp of chicken stock to create a slurry.  Toss vegetables together.  Add slurry.  Stir to combine.  The sauce should begin to thicken quickly.  Season to taste with additional salt, if necessary.  Remove from heat.  Add sesame oil and sesame seeds.  Stir ingredients together.

Serve.