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Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Asparagus with Lemon Grass

Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Asparagus with Lemon Grass

By Courtney HillNovember 30, 2021

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    25 minutes

In Southeast Asian cooking, herbal, citrusy lemon grass often is used in tandem with strong, salty, umami-rich fish sauce. But for this vegetarian stir-fry, we use soy sauce to achieve bold, deep savoriness and Chinese five-spice powder to add warm, spiced notes. Green, grassy asparagus (or snow peas) offsets the meatiness of the mushrooms and adds another dimension of texture. Use a combination of mushroom varieties for a mixture of flavors and shapes.

Tip

Don’t choose old or dried-out lemon grass for this stir-fry. Choose stalks that are plump and heavy; once you remove the exterior layers, it should be fragrant and pale. Also, be sure to smash the lemon grass hard enough to flatten the stalks and break up some of the stringy fibers, releasing the flavorful oils within.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons soy sauce

  • ½

    teaspoon five-spice powder

  • ½

    teaspoon white sugar

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 3

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 2

    stalks lemon grass, trimmed to the lower 6 inches, dry outer layers discarded, each piece halved crosswise and smashed

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 1

    pound cremini mushrooms OR oyster mushrooms OR shiitake mushrooms (stemmed) OR a combination, thinly sliced

  • 8

    ounces asparagus OR snow peas, trimmed and halved on the diagonal

  • 4

    scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

  • 1-2

    serrano OR Fresno chilies, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

  • 1 ½

    teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

Step 1

In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, five-spice, sugar, ¼ teaspoon pepper and ¼ cup water; set aside.

Step 2

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the lemon grass and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the garlic is lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, asparagus and half the scallions, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and begin to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the chili(es) and soy sauce mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Off heat, remove and discard the lemon grass. Stir in the vinegar and remaining scallions, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Chopped fresh cilantro

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