Asparagus and Mushrooms Indian Stir Fry Photo: Punjab Grill
By: Corporate Chef Javed Ahmad, Punjab Grill
This Indian stir-fry, developed by Chef Javed sees asparagus, mushrooms and bell peppers tempered with cumin and black pepper, then tossed in Chinese oyster sauce for a delicious stir-fry with briny accents.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Cost: $25.00
Difficulty: 1/5
Serves: 2 persons
A: Vegetables
150g green asparagus spears, discard fibrous ends, cut into 6-cm strips
100g button mushrooms, each cut into half
50 ml (4¼ tablespoons) oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 small onion, peeled and minced, about 1 teaspoon
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into cubes
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into cubes
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper, crushed
Salt to taste
B: To Cook Asparagus
1 litre water
500ml iced water
C: Garnish
1 teaspoon finely chopped coriander
Toasted coconut strips, optional
Sprinkling of sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
1. Fill up a medium mixing bowl with iced water.
2. Meanwhile, bring 1 litre water to a rolling boil over high heat. Blanch asparagus for 3 minutes followed by button mushrooms for 5 minutes. Remove both items from saucepan and quickly transfer into iced water that has been prepared. After a few minutes, drain and set both aside.
3. Heat up oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds. Once cumin seeds pop, add onion. Cook until onion becomes translucent.
4. Toss in bell pepper cubes, followed by asparagus and mushrooms. Sauté for a minute. Pour in oyster sauce and stir until it is combined. Season with salt and black pepper.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander, sesame seeds and coconut shreds if desired. Serve immediately.
TIP: Blanching asparagus partially cooks the spears and then dunking them into iced water halts residual heat from further cooking the tender vegetable. This way, asparagus remains sweet and crisp when served.
Punjab Grill serves refined Punjabi cuisine presenting diners with vibrant dishes that employ ingredients peculiar to the Punjab region (made up of gourmet metropolises of Lahore, Peshwar, Amritsar, Rawalpindi, Kabul, Multan and Patiala) like lassi or buttermilk, ghee, green chilli, dried ginger powder and mustard oil. Its meat dishes are outstanding.
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