Shrimp and asparagus stir-fried with Thai chili paste

Mix the sauce ahead: Thai chili paste, oyster sauce (grease the bowl first), soy sauce and fish sauce, thinned with a couple of tablespoons of water; keep extra water on hand.

Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and cut on a slight angle; prepare onion, julienned red pepper and Thai basil.

Heat a little oil over medium to medium-high heat, add chopped garlic and Thai chilies and let them infuse the oil and brown a little.

Add the shrimp and toss quickly, then add the sauce and right away the asparagus and onion, with an extra splash of water if dry. Cook until the shrimp and asparagus are done; onions can go in with the garlic for softer, sweeter onions.

Add a little sugar to taste, depending on the chili paste, then the red peppers; add splashes of water if it gets too dry.

Turn off the heat, stir in Thai basil to wilt in the residual heat, and garnish with basil tops. Serve ideally with hot jasmine rice.