A small and perfectly easy dish. The finishing touch of hot sesame oil is a common garnish in Hong Kong and a nice one.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 tablespoon peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed

　　1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger, or more to taste

　　2 cups snow peas, edible-podded peas, pea pods, or any combination

　　1 tablespoon soy sauce

　　1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Put the oil in a 10- or 12-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, over high heat. A minute later, add the ginger and peas and stir and toss occasionally, until they are lightly browned and their green color is vivid, about 2 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Add the soy sauce and transfer to a platter. Add the sesame oil to the same pan and heat for about 10 seconds. Pour over the snow peas, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.