Black Pepper Shrimp

I was really not all that impressed with this dish. It has so many ingredients that D and I love, and yet it was very bland. I could taste the black pepper but it wasn't overwhelming. Soy, chile pastse, sugar...not so much. The mushrooms had a good flavor, but that was it. D made it pretty quickly.

Black Pepper Shrimp

This Vietnamese-inspired meal is at its best with freshly ground black pepper.

3/4 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons chile paste (such as sambal oelek)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups (1/2-inch) slices bok choy (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
4 cups hot cooked rice

Combine broth and next 7 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, and stir with a whisk. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add bok choy, mushrooms, onions, and shrimp. Stir-fry 3 minutes or until bok choy begins to wilt. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and shrimp are done. Serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup shrimp mixture and 1 cup rice)

CALORIES 465 (14% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 1g,mono 2.7g,poly 2.4g); IRON 6.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 259mg; CALCIUM 149mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.3g; SODIUM 831mg; PROTEIN 40.5g; FIBER 2.1g

Cooking Light, MAY 2007