Shrimp Stir-Fry

There are more stir fries in Thai cuisine than pages in the longest cookbook. This one we chose because of its simplicity in preparation, appealing colours, and the prominent taste of oyster sauce. Oyster sauce is a thick, syrupy sauce made from cooking oysters down, and adding cornstarch, sugar, and salt. You can get it pretty much anywhere. You can also get fresh or frozen baby corn in all Asian grocery stores, and, in a pinch, the canned variety is usually available in larger supermarkets.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 8 to 10 large shrimp (10/12 count), peeled and deveined with tails left on
• 14 baby corn (fresh, frozen, or canned), sliced diagonally into 1 1/4-inch (3 cm) lengths
• 1/2 pound (220 g) snow peas (about 3 cups)
• 4 ounces (110 g) cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch (6 mm) slices
• Fresh bean sprouts or pea shoots
• 2 green onions, cut into 1 1/4-inch (3 cm) lengths
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) superfine (caster) sugar or finely grated palm sugar

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high. Stir-fry the garlic for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the shrimp, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until almost cooked. Add the baby corn and snow peas to the wok, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, stir-frying for another 1 minute.
2. Add the bean sprouts (or pea shoots), green onions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar, and stir-fry for 30 seconds, or until the sauce is incorporated and all the ingredients are hot.
3. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 4