Chinese Yam (Shan Yao) Stir-Fry

Chinese yam (also known as Shan Yao or Wai Shan or Discorea Polystachya (botanical name)) is normally sold dried and used for soups. In recent years, this root vegetable is available fresh throughout the year in most Asian supermarkets in Canada and very popular among the Asian communities especially Chinese and Koreans. I am not sure about its efficacy, but it is certainly quite palatable when stir-fried with other vegetable and lean meat. There is a lot of cutting (which is required in most stir-fry recipes). This dish was made to celebrate Chinese New Year with my friends at church two weeks ago.

Utensils Needed:-

Your favourite chef knife
Vegetable peeler
Cutting boards (one for meat and one for vegetables)
Frying ladle
Straining ladle
Deep non-stick frying pan and lid

Ingredients:-

For the stir-fry
1 cup thinly sliced pork tenderloin
1/2 cup Chinese yam (Shan Yao or Discorea Polystachya)
1 cup onion
1-1/2 cup king mushrooms
1 cup carrot
1 cup snap peas or whole green peas
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
2 cups cold water (for blanching snap peas)
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the gravy
2 teaspoons cooking wine (you may use any Sherry that is not too sweet)
1-1/2 teaspoons corn starch
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup cold water

Method:-

1. Clean and washed all the root vegetables and peas. Remove skins of carrots, yam and ginger by using a vegetable peeler; remove onion skins and remove the two tough ends of the snap peas.

2. First cut carrots and yam into 2" chunks and then slice each chunk into approximately 3 mm thick slices.

3. Slice ginger thinly; stack the slices and cut them into tiny triangular pieces.

4. Clean, cut and slice the king mushrooms into approximately 3 mm thick slices.

5. Cut onions into half and then each half into thirds.

6. Place all the cut and sliced vegetables on a big plate.

7. Boil 2 cups cold water in the frying pan and blanch snap peas. Once the peas turn a bright and deep green, scoop peas immediately from the water using straining ladle and dunk the peas in a bowl of cold water for 1 - 2 minutes to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside the peas. Throw out both the boiling and soaking water.

8. Cut and slice pork tenderloin.

9. Place all the ingredients for the gravy in a bowl and stir to combine evenly. Set aside until ready to use.

10. Heat frying pan on medium high heat. First fry pork tenderloin until the pork is cooked. Then add all the root vegetables and mushrooms. Stir-fry the mixtures until they are evenly mixed. Cover the frying pan immediately with a lid for 5 minutes to let the yam cook or until the yam turns transparent. Once the yam turns transparent, remove the lid and add the blanched green peas. Make a well in the center and add the gravy mixture. Stir the gravy mixture constantly to prevent lumps. When the gravy mixture boils and turns transparent, stir everything to mix and drizzle olive oil on top. Scoop out with the ladle and serve.
Please enjoy with your friends and family! Share every good food! :)))