Bay Scallop Stir-Fry

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice, and return to a boil, stirring once. Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let steam for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set sauce aside.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high. Add bell pepper, scallion whites, carrots, and ginger; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add scallops and scallion greens; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallops are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Whisk sauce briefly, and add to skillet; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve scallop stir-fry over rice.

Cook's Notes

After adding sauce to skillet, cook it for a minute; the cornstarch will thicken the sauce, helping to coat the ingredients, plus there'll be no pasty taste.