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This comforting, classic Shanghai dish - green peas stir fry - is quick, easy, and absolutely satisfying served as a side or a main dish!

Green Peas Stir Fry

By Maggie Zhu
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 11 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3 servings
This comforting, classic Shanghai dish - green peas stir fry - is quick, easy, and absolutely satisfying served as a side or a main dish! {Gluten-Free}

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium Spam , cut to small squares (or Chinese ham, or ham steak) (*Footnote 1)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
  • 1/4 cup bamboo shoots , cut to small squares (*Footnote 2)
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas *Footnote 3
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (or 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste) (*Footnote 4)

Slurry

  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon cold water

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the ham. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a minute or until the Spam is lightly browned.
  • Add the ginger and bamboo shoots. Continue to stir and cook for another minute.
  • Add the frozen peas. Cook until they appear to be fully thawed.
  • Pour in the water. Add the sugar and chicken powder (or salt). Stir to mix well. Cook covered for 2 minutes.
  • Combine the slurry ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Pour it into the pan and stir to mix well. Once the liquid has thickened slightly, transfer everything to a serving plate.
  • Serve hot as a side or over rice as a main dish.

Notes

  1. The Spam or either type of ham will work in this dish, but you will need to adjust the chicken powder / salt level a bit to achieve a balanced flavor.
  2. I used a whole bamboo shoot from the Asian market. If you use canned bamboo shoots, it might come in flat shaped pieces and you can simply chop them into smaller pieces. They don’t have to be square.
  3. You can also use fresh peas and boil them until al dente to replace the frozen peas.
  4. Ideally, using homemade chicken broth and salt will yield the best result. I prefer to use chicken bouillon powder and water because it’s super convenient and it yields a great taste. If you prefer not to use chicken powder, you can also use store-bought chicken broth to replace the water along with some salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 177kcal, Carbohydrates: 14.5g, Protein: 6.8g, Fat: 10.3g, Saturated Fat: 2.9g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 345mg, Potassium: 269mg, Fiber: 4.2g, Sugar: 5.9g, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg