Hunan Asparagus and Shitake Stirfry

Hunanese cuisine is known for its liberal use of both salted black beans (see the Hunan Tofu Stirfry recipe from March, 2014, for more information about this interesting soyfood) and chili peppers.  Here we’ve adapted a recipe from the 1978 Henry Chung's Hunan Style Chinese Cookbook to make it vegetarian by swapping out sliced beef with mushrooms.  This is an excellent but different way to make use of your asparagus harvest.

10 dry shitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons fermented black beans
3 tablespoon corn or canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
1½ pounds asparagus, trimmed of hard bottoms and cut into 1” lengths
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
salt to taste

Cover dry mushrooms in plenty of hot water, and let soak until soft, about 30 minutes.  Drain, reserving soaking liquid.  Thinly slice mushroom caps.

Cover black beans with hot water and soak for 15 minutes.  Drain and crush to a coarse paste

Heat oil in wok over high heat.  When it just begins to smoke, add in bean paste, garlic, ginger, and hot pepper flakes.  Stir fry for 1 minute.  Add in sliced mushrooms, soy sauce, and rice wine/sherry.  Stir fry for 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup of reserved mushroom soaking liquid.  Bring to a boil.  Add in asparagus, and cook for 1 minute, until the asparagus turns bright green.  Add in cornstarch/water paste, stir to break apart any lumps, and cook until the sauce returns to a boil and has thickened.  Serve over hot rice.

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