Bright green and vibrant, savory and refreshingly smooth.
A deceptively simple dish that is surprisingly difficult to master, with the challenge lying in controlling the heat and the consistency of the sauce. If you can make this taste truly delicious, your cooking skills are genuinely impressive—don't believe it? Give it a try.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
150 g (about 5 oz) snow peas
Select fresh, bright green snow peas—avoid any that are yellowing or soft, as those are no longer fresh.
Seasonings
Salt to taste
1 g white sugar
minced garlic, a small amount
Cornstarch - a small amount
Instructions
Instructions
Preparation
Step 1: Trim the ends off the snow peas and wash them. In a small bowl, combine salt, sugar, and minced garlic (Image 2), then add a little water and a pinch of cornstarch, stirring until smooth (Image 3).
*Although this is a simple stir-fry, adding a bit of minced garlic can enhance the flavor. Restaurants often add MSG to the seasoning sauce, but we skip it and instead use a pinch of sugar to bring out the natural freshness.
*The amount of cornstarch can be adjusted to your preference, just enough to coat the ingredients without the sauce running off.
Blanch in boiling water.
Step 2: Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil (Image 4), then blanch the snow peas until just tender and drain (Image 5).
*Snow peas cook very quickly—once the water comes to a boil and you add them, blanch for just half a minute before draining; this yields the crispiest, most refreshing texture.
Stir-fry over high heat until the snow peas turn bright green and are just tender, about 2-3 minutes, then season with salt to taste.
Step 3: Clean and heat the wok, add a little oil (Image 6), toss in the blanched snow peas and stir-fry briefly, then immediately pour in the prepared sauce and stir-fry quickly over high heat until well combined (Image 7).
*The amount of oil used in this final step should be very minimal, as the blanching process already adds some oil—stir-fried vegetable dishes should not be overly oily.
*The stir-frying motion must be especially quick, particularly when adding the sauce—any hesitation and it will easily burn.
