Asparagus and Crab With a Light Ginger Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 12 teaspoon fish sauce
• 12 teaspoon lemon juice
• 6 ounces cooked crabmeat
• 34 cup vegetable stock or 34 cup seafood stock
• 14 teaspoon sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 14 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 lb asparagus
• ends trimmed
• 12 teaspoon sesame oil
• 12 teaspoon cornstarch (dissolved in)
• 1 tablespoon water
• cool

Instructions

1. working over a bowl, use your fingers to squeeze the grated fresh ginger to release its juice.
2. you should get about 1/2 to 3/4t of ginger juice.
3. add the fish sauce if using, lemon juice, and crabmeat.
4. gently mix.
5. in a wok or large saute pan, add the stock, sugar, salt, and pepper.
6. bring to a boil.
7. add the asparagus and immediately cover.
8. steam on medium heat for 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
9. use a pair of tongs to remove the asparagus to a plate, leaving the broth in the pan.
10. drizzle the sesame oil over the asparagus.
11. reutrn the pan with the broth to the stove on low heat.
12. bring to a simmer and add the crabmeat mixture.
13. return to a simmer.
14. stir in the cornstarch slurry and let thicken, about 15 seconds.
15. taste the broth, and season with additional salt if needed.
16. pour over the asparagus.