Thai Scallop Sauté

April 2025. Spring in Memphis, and I am 66, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.

Charlie in Nashville, thriving in the way Charlie thrives — quietly, competently, with the determination of a Johnson woman and the grace of something uniquely hers.

Ribs this week — spare ribs, dry-rubbed, five hours at 225, no foil, no rush. The Memphis way. The bark cracked when I bit into it, and the flavor was layered: smoke first, then spice, then the sweetness of the pork, each layer arriving on its own schedule, patient as a sermon. Rosetta ate two ribs and said nothing negative, which is a standing ovation from the toughest critic in my life.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

The ribs get all the glory in this house, but Rosetta will tell you that some of my best cooking happens mid-week, when the smoker is cold and the skillet is hot and I’m working fast with bold flavors — the way this Thai scallop sauté moves, with heat and brightness hitting in layers, patient as a sermon, each note arriving on its own schedule. After a Sunday that full — the choir, the pew, the bark cracking on those spare ribs — I wanted something weeknight-quick but still intentional, still worth sitting down for. This is that dish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs large sea scallops, patted dry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup snap peas, trimmed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

Dry and season the scallops. Pat scallops thoroughly dry with paper towels — this is the step that earns the sear. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
Sear the scallops. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until just smoking. Add scallops in a single layer, without crowding. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes until a deep golden crust forms, then flip and sear 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Sauté the vegetables. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add bell pepper and snap peas and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes, until just tender-crisp. Add garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds more, stirring constantly.
Combine and finish. Pour the sauce into the pan and toss to coat the vegetables. Return the scallops to the pan, nestling them into the vegetables. Spoon sauce over the top and heat through for 30 seconds.
Plate and garnish. Serve immediately over jasmine rice, topped with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro.

Nutrition (per serving)

Thai Scallop Sauté — When the Smoker Rests, the Skillet Speaks