Simple Chinese Stir Fry Using Bamboo Shoots and Asparagus (Something Light after 4th of July Weekend)

How's your 4th of July weekend? Spent a lot of time chilling, barbecuing, and hanging out with families and friends?

My long weekend break was filled with tons of unhealthy but man...delicious and satisfying food. How much I wish this break can go over and over again piled with fried munchies and melted chocolate. 

Unfortunately, it's time to face the reality and get the healthier diet back on track. Don't be sad, healthier doesn't necessarily mean dull and tasteless food. Salad might be hard to swallow after spoiling the palate and stomach with high oil content food over the weekend. So how about stir frying some veggies that are high in fiber, anti-oxidant vitamins, and low in calories?

Simple Chinese stir fry using bamboo shoots, asparagus, and pork loin strips -

Ingredients?

• 2 bamboo shoots
• 16 or 1 bundle of medium thickness asparagus
• 0.5 lb of pork loin strips
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 red chilies
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Chinese rice cooking wine
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• Some water
• Some sesame oil

How?

Marinate the pork loin strips with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine. Massage the meat for a little bit so the seasonings get to soak into the meat. 

Let's prepare other ingredients in the meantime. 

Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Discard the chili stems and chop the chilies into small pieces. 

Chop off the tough end roots from the asparagus, also see if the stalks need to be peeled slightly to remove any tough layer. Slice the asparagus with an angle/diagonally. 

Chop off the tough bottom section from the bamboo shoots and peel away the outer skin. The bamboo shoots usually will be about half of its original size after removing all the hard to chew parts. Slice the bamboo shoots then chop into strips. 

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and turn to medium high heat. Add in the garlic, chilies, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Give it a quick stir.

Add in the pork strips along with its marinade. Cook till about half way through then add in the bamboo shoots and asparagus. Turn to high heat and stir fry for one minute. 

Drizzle in the soy sauce along the edge of the pan, so the heat will further help releasing the soy aroma. Cook for another minute. Pour in water till about 1/3 of the ingredients are submerged under the liquid. Cover the pan with a lid and cook till no more excess liquid is present, about 12 to 15 minutes depending on the heat.

Drizzle a little bit of sesame oil before serving. You can also sprinkle some white pepper powder if desired.

If you had too much meat over the weekend, these fibrous veggies will definitely come to rescue, if you know what I mean (wink*).

Other similar recipes:

• Stir fry bamboo shoot cubes with marinated pork belly
• Spicy and garlicky stir fry shrimps with asparagus and button mushrooms