Cajun food and Asian food share a great deal of common ground. Poorer communities invented foods that were filled with healthy proteins and vegetables to keep workers full and energized, and both cultures tend towards very strong flavors and aromas that come with cooking foods that stretch your imagination and your budget.
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks
- 1 bell pepper cut into strips
- 1/2 pound snow peas
- 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 4 small scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Steamed rice, for serving
- In a small bowl, whisk the chicken stock with the soy sauce, Chinese chile-garlic sauce and cornstarch.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the ginger matchsticks and stir-fry over moderately high heat until they are softened, about 1 minute. Add the snow peas and stir-fry until crisp-tender and the ginger is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the scallions and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Whisk the chile sauce, add it to the skillet and stir-fry until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute longer. Serve with steamed rice.
