Name: Spring Vegetable Stir-Fry
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed); 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal; 1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed; 1 cup fresh peas (shelled) or snow peas; 4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1 cup baby bok choy, quartered (about 2 small heads); 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated; 1 cup firm tofu, cubed (or cooked chicken or shrimp); *Sauce:**; 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water; Sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion, for garnish

Not everything in a spring cookbook has to be European. This stir-fry uses the same tender vegetables — asparagus, snap peas, green onions — but takes them in a completely different direction with ginger, soy, and sesame. Quick, bright, and satisfying.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal
1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed
1 cup fresh peas (shelled) or snow peas
4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup baby bok choy, quartered (about 2 small heads)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 cup firm tofu, cubed (or cooked chicken or shrimp)
*Sauce:**
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion, for garnish

Method

Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat the neutral oil and sesame oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. The pan needs to be properly hot for a good stir-fry — you want sear, not steam.
Add the tofu (or protein) and cook without stirring for 2 minutes to get a golden crust. Flip and cook 1 minute more. Remove and set aside.
In the same hot pan, add the asparagus. Cook for 2 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Add the snap peas, fresh peas, bok choy, and green onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds — keep everything moving so the garlic doesn't burn.
Return the tofu to the pan. Pour in the sauce. Toss everything together for 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the vegetables.
Serve immediately over steamed rice, garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onion.
*Storage:** Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep for 1 day refrigerated but the vegetables will lose their snap.
*Seasonal note:** The key to a great stir-fry is not overcrowding the pan. If your wok is small, cook the vegetables in two batches. They should sizzle loudly when they hit the oil — if they don't, the pan isn't hot enough.