Stir fried asparagus with crispy prawn chilli

You may wonder why there is such a small amount of sambal asparagus on the plate. This is because I always remove the children’s portion before adding the sambal. This way the children learn to eat the same type of vegetables as the adults albeit a different flavour so they are less likely to become picky eaters where vegetables are concerned.

 Asparagus (芦笋) are the young shoots of a cultivated lily plant and have a distinct, intense savoury flavour. They are considered to be one of the delicacies of the vegetable world, with a price tag to match. It is an excellent source of potassium, phosphorus, folic acid, vitamins A, C and K, and traces of vitamin B complex. Asparagus is one of the few vegetables that actually have calcium and magnesium in the ideal ratio which make it a wonderful food choice to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as support kidney function. The high content of folic acid, calcium and other minerals in asparagus is important in reducing the risk of birth defects and low birth weight. Asparagus juice has a diuretic effect which can help reduce water retention in pregnant women and relieve premenstrual swelling and bloating.

Ingredients 

1 bundle of asparagus

When buying asparagus, choose straight firm stalks with tight tips.

This brand is quite hot (pedas) so the amount used will depend on the taste buds of the diners

Bend the spear until it snaps and throw the woody end away

I like to pare away the skin to make it less tough for young children and old folks to eat

Separate the stems from the tips which cooks faster

Heat some oil in the wok and fry some chopped garlic with salt until fragrant

Put in the asparagus stems and make sure it is well coated in the oil

Put in the asparagus tips and mix thoroughly

Add a little water to prevent the vegetables from burning and to help it cook evenly

Take out the children’s portion

Put the required amount of sambal paste into the remaining asparagus in the wok

Quickly stir and mix well so it does not over cook

Transfer to a serving platter and serve