Stir-Fried Shrimp with Sugar Snap Peas and Ginger

Ingredients

• 1 lb. large frozen shrimp, thawed
• 2 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and cut on diagonal if large
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. sweetener of your choice
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 T cornstarch
• Pinch white pepper
• 1-2 T vegetable oil or peanut oil
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
• 2 T finely minced garlic
• 2 whole garlic cloves, cut in half and 2 slices ginger *for seasoning the oil

Directions

1. Defrost the shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready to cook, set them in a colander to drain thoroughly, then blot them dry with paper towels. If the shrimp still have shells, veins or tails, remove them. Trim away any discolored tail ends if needed.
2. Trim the ends from the sugar snap peas, and slice the larger pods on the diagonal. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, rice vinegar, sweetener, soy sauce, cornstarch and white pepper. Grate the ginger root and mince the garlic before you turn on the stove.
3. Once everything is prepped, heat the oil over high heat in a wok or a large frying pan. Add the halved garlic cloves and ginger slices, and let them sizzle just until the garlic becomes fragrant. Don’t let the garlic go too far, or it can turn bitter. Scoop out the garlic and ginger pieces and discard them.
4. Add the shrimp to the hot pan and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, depending on their size, just until they are beginning to look opaque.
5. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger and sugar snap peas, and cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the sauce mixture and cook until it thickens, no more than 1-2 minutes longer. Watch the shrimp closely so they don’t overcook. Serve immediately.