Asparagus and Oriental Tamari Dressing with Pine Nuts

This oriental-style asparagus and pine nut dish is a perfect accompaniment to small light summer meals, and takes little time to prepare and cook. Fried pine nuts give it nutritious protein-packed crunch, while the asparagus is… well, it's asparagus, nothing more needs to be said.

If you don't have some already, I urge you to buy a traditionally brewed tamari sauce made from slow-fermented soy beans instead of anything marketed as just soy sauce, which are usually made with 40-60% wheat as well as quick hydrolyzed soy protein and caramel colouring. Good tamari sauces are wheat-free, contain more digestible proteins, and taste so much better than ordinary soy sauces that you'll never go back. Fortunately, they're also widely available these days from reputable suppliers like San-J or Eden Foods.

Asparagus and oriental tamari dressing with pine nuts

1 bunch fresh asparagus
4 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons pine nuts
2 green onions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced
3 green chilies, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon tamari sauce
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
dash of cayenne, or to taste
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

Wash the asparagus and snap off the woody ends, then cut into halves or thirds and soak in water to keep crisp.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When very hot, toss in the pine nuts and stir a few times until the nuts are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel and set aside.

Add the white parts of the green onion and the chilies to the oil and stir once. Quickly drain the asparagus and stir into the pan right away. Add 3 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook for 2 minutes.

Uncover and add the tamari sauce, lemon juice, salt, sugar, cayenne and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Stir to mix and cook for another 5 minutes or so, boiling away most of the liquid as you stir.

Remove from heat and add the pine nuts and toasted sesame seeds. Toss and serve.