Sesame Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

views the best pictures

I've been looking for some "lighter" dishes to make... with everyone struggling to get into their clothes after the holidays... and came across this Good Housekeeping recipe.  It's very simple, adds a big serving of veggies, and is much lower in fat and calories than take-out!  - additionally, you could make this faster than driving to your favorite Asian take-out restaurant.

Here is a video tutorial:

                 Click for Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup long-grain white rice, cooked

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp peeled and grated ginger 

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 pound large shrimp, cleaned 

1 tsp sesame oil

Step-by-Step: 

For prep: Trim the asparagus, grate the ginger, cut the tomatoes, make the sauce, toast the sesame seeds.  For a "prep-ahead of time, " you could actually even cook the shrimp and store them in the fridge.  When you add the shrimp later, just cook 1 minute to heat through.

1 pound of trimmed asparagus

1 Tbsp grated ginger

Sauce:

Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar,and grated ginger in a small bowl.  Set aside.

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp grated ginger

Here's the sauce.

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 pound of shrimp tails, deveined, rinsed.

In a 12-inch skillet, toast the sesame seeds over a medium-high heat for about 4 minutes.  Transfer them to a small dish.

toast 1 Tbsp sesame seeds for around 4 minutes.  Swirl them in the pan. 

transfer to another dish.

In that same skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high until hot, then add the asparagus.  Cook the asparagus until they are tender-crisp, about 4 - 5 minutes.  

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut

Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute.  

 

gorgeous colors, right?

Stir in the soy sauce mixture and shrimp into the asparagus and cook about 2 - 3 minutes.  It will NOT take the shrimp long to cook.  Once they turn pink and opaque, they are done.  

peeled, deveined shrimp

add the ginger soy sauce

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

1 tsp sesame oil

To serve, spoon the shrimp mixture over rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.  PLEASE don't forget them like I did!  (I was not very happy with myself.)

Now take a good look at this dish.  Does this not look fabulous?! 

Method:

For prep: Trim the asparagus, grate the ginger, cut the tomatoes, make the sauce, toast the sesame seeds.  For a "prep-ahead of time, " you could actually even cook the shrimp and store them in the fridge.  When you add the shrimp later, just cook 1 minute to heat through.

Sauce:  Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar,and grated ginger in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet, toast the sesame seeds over a medium-high heat for about 4 minutes.  Transfer them to a small dish.  In that same skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high until hot, then add the asparagus.  Cook the asparagus until they are tender-crisp, about 4 - 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute.   Stir in the soy sauce mixture and shrimp into the asparagus and cook about 2 - 3 minutes.  It will NOT take the shrimp long to cook.  Once they turn pink and opaque, they are done.  

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.  To serve, spoon the shrimp mixture over rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.