Thai-style Asparagus Recipe
One thing I love about this time of year is all the fresh and gorgeous asparagus! And while I could eat simple, steamed asparagus almost every day, there are times when I feel obligated to make something a little fancier. A little different. A little out there. I’m a big fan of big flavors. And I am a big fan of Thai flavors. So I decided to try to make a Thai-style asparagus recipe.
A dish that is company-worthy and yet unexpected. I mean asparagus with hollandaise – fabulous. But predictable. Thai-style asparagus – also fabulous and anything but predictable.
This recipe has three components; the asparagus, the crispy fried shallots, and the nut-free Thai-style sauce.
I am a little bit of a snob when it comes to asparagus, I like it peeled. In fact I ONLY like it peeled. Years ago I watched an episode of Julia Child’s The French Chef where she mentioned that taking the time to peel asparagus showed people that you care. What a concept! After all, isn’t cooking for someone all about showing how much you care? I have never served asparagus unpeeled since.
Crispy fried shallots are dead simple to make and add a little pizzazz to vegetable dishes – the perfect amount of crunch, sweet onion flavor, and saltiness.
The nut-free Thai style sauce has that perfect combination of sweet, salt, acid and heat. I kept it nut free by using Sunbutter.
There is just something about the combination of flavors and textures in this recipe that has me swooning. And wanting to eat it all myself!
Thai-style Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large shallots
- Vegetable oil
- Kosher salt
- 2 pounds asparagus
- 4 tablespoons Creamy Sunbutter
- 4 tablespoons gluten free tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Line a plate with paper towels. Slice the shallots thinly then separate into rings. Heat about ¼ of an inch of oil in a medium skillet over high heat until hot. Add the shallot rings and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the shallots and place on the paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt.
- With a vegetable peeler, peel the asparagus. Cut off the woody end. Then place in a large skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes or until crisp tender. Remove the asparagus from the skillet and pour out the water.
- To the same skillet, add the Sunbutter, tamari, honey, vinegar, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil. Heat, stirring, until smooth and heated through. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until thinned out. You want the sauce to still be thick, but runny.
- Add the asparagus to the sauce and gently toss to coat. Finally, place the asparagus on a serving platter and top with the fried shallots.
Nutrition
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These sound delicious! I’ve never heard of peeling asparagus before other than shaving it. I have plenty with which to try this out. Thanks :)