Lunar New Year: shrimp and bok choy

The final components to our dinner involved shrimp and bok choy. The dishes were cooked separately, and served with the previously posted dumplings and noodles. Happy New Year! Give it up for the year of the Ox.

Spicy Stir Fried Shrimp

adapted from Singapore Chili Stir-Fried Shrimp

Cooks Illustrated, January 2001

1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tsp soy sauce

1 Tbs rice wine vinegar

3 scallions, green parts, minced

1/2 jalepeno, seeded and chopped

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/4 c chicken or vegetable broth

3 Tbs sriracha sauce (chili sauce)

2 tsp oyster sauce

dash of sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

Vegetable oil for stir frying

Toss shrimp with soy sauce and vinegar. Let marinate while preparing other ingredients.

Combine scallions, jalepeno, garlic, and ginger; set aside. Mix broth, sriracha, oyster sauce, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Add enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Add shrimp; cook until just opaque, stirring frequently. Move shrimp to one side, and add scallion mixture to the pan. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in shrimp. Add broth mixture and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate.

Bok Choy With Shitake Mushroom in Oyster Sauce

1 head of bok choy

2 tsp vegetable oil

3/4 c fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced and stems removed

2 Tbs oyster sauce

4 Tbs chicken stock

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch

Trim bottom off the bok choy, leaving the leafy green part.

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms turn soft.

Combine oyster sauce, stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to mushrooms, stirring until thickened.

Blanch bok choy in boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and add to the mushrooms and sauce. Toss to coat bok choy with sauce. Serve.