Stir-Fried Asparagus with Mushrooms and Oyster Sauce

Asparagus is an unusual choice for a stir-fry, but the vegetable holds up nicely when stirred in a hot skillet and takes well to assertive seasonings. Pencil-size asparagus works best — adjust the cooking time if your spears are smaller or larger. Shiitake mushrooms have tough, fibrous stems that don’t tenderize with cooking, so remove them and use only the caps.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1½ tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 454g (1 lb) asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1½- to 2-inch pieces on the diagonal
• 225g (8oz) shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered if large, halved if medium or small
• 3 scallions, whites finely chopped and greens thinly sliced on the diagonal, reserved separately
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, and water.
2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering.
3. Add the asparagus and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is tender and both the asparagus and mushrooms are well browned, 6 to 7 minutes.
4. Add the scallion whites and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the sauce mixture; cook, stirring, until the liquid has reduced and the vegetables are lightly glazed, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Off heat, taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the scallion greens.

Variations

• Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, chili crisp, or both.
• Finish with finely chopped fresh dill, parsley, or tarragon.

Adapted from Andrea Nguyen, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen