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Fish, East Asian

Seared Scallops with Snow Peas and Rice

Seared scallops with snow peas and rice is an Asian inspired dish for 4 people, ready in 25 minutes and rated easy, at €7.20 per serving. The key is drying the scallops well and searing them thirty seconds per side in a very hot wok, so they get a golden crust without turning rubbery.

Tonight, a fancy dinner in twenty minutes, scallops seared in a wok with snow peas, garlic and ginger, over white rice.

Seared Scallops with Snow Peas and Rice
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€7.20
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring

Scallops seared in a wok develop a golden crust on the outside while staying pearly and tender inside, with a faint natural sweetness. Snow peas add crunch, garlic and ginger bring a little heat, and a splash of soy sauce and rice wine turns into a glossy, fragrant sauce that coats the rice beautifully.

This is the kind of dish that turns a weeknight into a small celebration without eating up your evening. Active cooking time is about twenty minutes, perfect for a dinner for two or a casual get together with friends when you want to impress without stress. Mon Chou suggests it for the nights you want something out of the ordinary.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Sea scallops 24

Fruits and vegetables

  • Snow peas 300 g
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 15 g
  • Scallions 2 sprigs

Pantry

  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Rice wine or dry white wine 2 tbsp
  • Peanut oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Mollusks, Soy, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    Keep it covered while you sear the scallops.

  2. Trim the snow peas, and thinly slice the garlic and ginger.

    Remove the string from the snow peas, it's tough and fibrous.

  3. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels.

    Dry scallops sear instead of boiling.

  4. Heat the oil in a very hot wok and sear the scallops 30 seconds per side, then set them aside. 2 min

    Don't move them while searing, they form a nice golden crust.

  5. Sauté the snow peas with the garlic and ginger, add the scallops back in, deglaze with the rice wine and soy sauce, and serve over the rice. 3 min

    Take it off the heat as soon as the sauce is hot, the scallops finish cooking gently from there.

Our tips to get it right

  • Prep every ingredient before you turn on the heat, wok cooking moves fast and you won't have time to chop anything mid recipe.
  • Don't crowd the wok when searing the scallops, cook them in two batches if needed so they brown instead of steaming in their own liquid.
  • Use a wok or large skillet that gets very hot very fast, that heat is what separates a seared scallop from a boiled one.

The variations

  • Swap the snow peas for green asparagus cut into pieces when they're out of season.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the scallops with shiitake mushrooms or firm tofu cubes, seared the same way.
  • To save time, use precooked rice warmed up for a minute in the microwave while you work the wok.

What to serve it with

  • Plain white rice
  • Green tea or lemon water
  • Spring rolls as a starter

Storage

Leftovers keep for 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, scallops lose their texture quickly after that. Avoid freezing this dish, scallops turn rubbery once thawed. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, just long enough to warm through without overcooking the scallops.

Questions about this dish

Can you use frozen scallops?

Yes, as long as you thaw them fully in the fridge and pat them very dry before cooking. Drying matters even more with frozen scallops, since they release more water.

Can you prep this dish ahead of time?

You can cook the rice and chop the vegetables ahead, but the scallops need to be seared at the last minute. They're best eaten straight out of the wok.

What can replace the rice wine?

Dry white wine works well, as the recipe suggests. You can also use rice vinegar diluted with a bit of water if you have neither.

How do you know when the scallops are done?

They should be golden on the outside and still slightly translucent in the center when they come out of the wok. They finish cooking from residual heat once mixed with the hot sauce.

How long does it take to make seared scallops with snow peas and rice?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in seared scallops with snow peas and rice?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does seared scallops with snow peas and rice cost?

About €7.20 per serving, or €28.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks, soy, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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