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.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes

　　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

　　

Flavoring Sauce

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

　　

Step 1

Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and parboil for about 1 minute, or until just tender but still firm. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside. Have the mushrooms cut and ready to cook.

　　

Step 2

To make the flavoring sauce, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, oyster sauce, oil, and water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Set aside. (The asparagus and the sauce may be readied several hours in advance and kept at room temperature.)

　　

Step 3

In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the asparagus and mushrooms and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, or until heated through. Raise the heat to medium-high. Give the flavoring sauce a stir to recombine, then add to the pan and stir to distribute evenly. When only a little sauce is visible, after about 1 minute, transfer the vegetables to a plate and serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2006.  Photographs by Leigh Beisch. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.