Asparagus and Shiitake Mushroom Stir-Fry

Name: Asparagus and Shiitake Mushroom Stir-Fry
Yield: serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes
Ingredients: Salt; 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces (generous 1 pound after trimming); 6 to 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted (page 332), trimmed, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce; 1 generous tablespoon oyster sauce; 2 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil; 1 1/2 tablespoons water; 1 1/2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil

December 14, 2011

Asparagus is often thought as a vegetable that requires delicate seasoning, but this hearty stir-fry proves that notion wrong. The sweet, heady sauce is essentially the same sauce called for in Water Spinach Stir-Fried with Garlic (page 179), but the addition of meaty shiitake mushrooms produces a more robust dish. Prepare this easy stir-fry during springtime when asparagus is at the height of its season, or substitute 1 1/4 pounds green beans or long beans other times of the year. Be sure to use high-quality dried mushrooms, and don’t skimp on the soaking time, or they won’t develop their naturally full flavor or velvety texture.

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