Asian Marinated Asparagus - cooking recipe

Ingredients

ice cubes
2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Fill a large bowl with with cold water; add ice.
Bring a pot of water to a boil; cook asparagus in boiling water until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain asparagus and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain and transfer asparagus to a baking dish.
Whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetable oil, agave nectar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl; pour marinade over asparagus, adding water if necessary to submerge asparagus. Cover baking dish and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Drain marinade and sprinkle sesame seeds over asparagus before serving.