Chapter 6
Stir-fried Salads and Vegetables
To me, stir-fries, which are quintessentially Asian, are akin to salads since they are often packed with vegetables. In this section you’ll find recipes that use the spices and seasonings from various cuisines to quickly put together a delicious, healthy dish. Not only are they great as part of a meal with plain rice, they are also great for nibbling on with your drinks!
Pork, Kimchi and Leek Salad (photo on facing page)
This salad is built around the classic Korean combination of kimchi and pork. The mitsuba added at the end give this salad a refreshing taste.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
5 oz (150 g) lean pork (from the leg), thinly sliced
4 oz (100 g) napa cabbage kimchi
½ leek (the white part)
¾ oz (20 g) mitsuba (also called Japanese parsley)
A
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1½ tablespoons Korean Gochujang Dressing (see page 15)
1 tablespoon sake
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut the pork into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Roughly chop the kimchi. Cut the leek into thin diagonal slices. Roughly chop the mitsuba.
2 Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and stir-fry the pork. When it starts to change color, add the kimchi and leek and stir fry-well, making sure everything is well mixed.
3 Add the ingredients in A and stir-fry until there is no liquid left in the pan. Turn off the heat and mix in the mitsuba.
Quick Stir-fry with Pea Shoots and Fried Tofu
This quick-and-easy stir-fry makes the most of the Chinese Five-Spice Dressing. Steam the pea shoots at the very end to preserve their unique flavor and texture.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
4 oz (100 g) pea shoots
2 pieces (approx. 8 oz / 250 g) thick deep-fried tofu (called atsuage; available at Asian grocery stores—not the same as thin fried tofu or aburaage)
¹⁄₃ leek (the white part)
2 fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons Chinese Five Spice Dressing (see page 15)
1 tablespoon roasted white sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut the root ends off the pea shoots.
2 Cut the fried tofu into ¾-inch (2-cm) cubes. Cut the leek into ¾ inch (2 cm) long pieces. Cut the stems off the shiitake mushrooms, and quarter the caps.
3 Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the ingredients from Step 2 and stir-fry until everything is lightly browned.
4 Put in the pea shoots and swirl in the dressing. Cover the pan with a lid and steam-cook for about a minute. Arrange on a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Sweet & Salty Pork and Water Spinach Stir-fry
This dish highlights the crisp, crunchy texture of water spinach, a vegetable that works really well in stir-fries. Because the pork is cooked until it’s crispy and the fat is rendered out, it tastes quite light despite being very well flavored.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
7 oz (200 g) thinly sliced pork shoulder
1 bunch water spinach (about 7 oz / 200 g—also called kangkong, Chinese water spinach or kushinsai; or substitute Swiss chard)
½ teaspoon sesame oil
A
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon tianmianjiang (a sweet-salty fermented bean and wheat paste from Szechuan province in China; available at Asian grocery stores)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or sake)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut the pork into 1-inch (3-cm) pieces. Cut the water spinach into 2¾ inch (7 cm) long pieces. Soak the water spinach in a bowl of cold water (see photo a).
2 Heat the sesame oil and garlic in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is fragrant, add the pork and pan-fry it until it is crispy, diligently wiping out the excess fat and moisture from the pan with paper towels (see photo b). This is the key to making the pork crispy.
3 Combine the ingredients in A and add them to the frying pan. Drain the water spinach well and add it to the frying pan (see photo c). Stir-fry briefly. Serve immediately.
Be sure to eat this delicious stir-fried dish while it’s still piping hot and the well-flavored pork is still crispy! It’s great served with plain rice.
TIP
Water spinach is a very popular vegetable in many Asian countries, from China to Thailand and Vietnam, and it’s increasingly popular in Japan too. Here I have used it in a typically Chinese stir-fry, flavoring it with tianmianjiang, a salty-sweet bean and wheat paste that is popular in northern Chinese cuisine. Keep the water spinach soaking in a bowl of water until it’s added to the stir-fry to retain its crispy, crunchy texture. And don’t forget to frequently wipe out the excess fat in the frying pan as you cook the pork, to ensure that it will have a crispy finish.
Stir-fried Green Asparagus and Lily Bulbs
Shaoxing wine, a rice wine from China, enhances the flavors of this simple, yet elegant stir-fry. When lily bulbs are steam-fried in this way they become meaty and so delicious. I hope you’ll give them a try!
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
4 green asparagus stalks
1 edible lily bulb (Available at Chinese grocery stores; or substitute 4 to 5 canned or bottled water chestnuts, sliced)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or sake)
Salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Peel off the tough root ends of the asparagus stalks. Cut the asparagus diagonally into 2 inch (5 cm) long pieces.
2 Separate the sections of the lily bulb by peeling them off one by one (see photo b) and rinse briefly.
3 Heat the sesame oil and ginger in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil becomes fragrant, add the ingredients from Steps 1 and 2 and stir-fry briefly.
4 Add the Shaoxing wine and cover the pan with a lid (see photo c). Steam-fry over low heat for about 2 minutes. Season with salt, to taste.
Serve this along with small plates of Cloud Ear Mushroom and Cucumber Salad (page 37) or Dried Tofu and Seaweed Salad with Black Vinegar (page 25) to recreate a Taiwanese pub in your own home.
TIP
Lily bulbs are eaten as a vegetable in China, Korea and Japan. In Japan they’re part of the traditional New Years feast, and in China they are used in stir-fries. If you can’t find fresh lily bulbs, see if your Asian grocery store has precooked vacuum-packed ones as shown in photo a. This is a very simple stir-fry where the seasonings really sing, so I definitely recommend serving Shaoxing wine with it! Try adding some shrimp to the stir-fry for even more flavor and color.
Quick & Spicy Stir-fried Greens
This fragrant and simple stir fry really lets you enjoy the strong, complex flavors of nuoc mam, Vietnamese fish sauce. You’ll want to eat this again and again.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 5 MINUTES
8 oz (250 g) green leafy vegetable of your choice such as komatsuna, mustard greens, bok choy, tatsoi, water spinach or Swiss chard
1 fresh red chili pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
A
1 teaspoon nuoc mam
1 tablespoon sake
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut the greens into 3 inch (8 cm) long pieces, and soak them in a bowl of cold water until it’s time to stir-fry them. This preserves their crispness. Cut the red chili pepper in half lengthwise.
2 Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the ingredients from Step 1 and stir-fry briefly. Add the ingredients in A, and stir-fry rapidly to mix the flavors together.
Stir-fried Chicken with Thai Basil
A variation of the classic Thai dish pad gra pao gai.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
8 oz (250 g) boneless chicken thighs
½ red onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon nam pla
8 Thai or holy basil leaves
1 lime wedge
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Optionally remove the skin from the chicken. Cut the chicken into ¾-inch (2-cm) dice.
2 Cut the red onion into ¾-inch (2-cm) dice.
3 Heat the olive oil and ginger in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is fragrant, put in the chicken and stir-fry until browned. Sprinkle in the white wine. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through.
4 Add the onion and stir-fry briefly. Drizzle in the nam pla and turn off the heat. Tear up the basil leaves and add them to the pan, stirring quickly. Transfer to serving plates, squeeze on the lime, and sprinkle with black pepper.
TIP
Japanese mustard greens, cut into large pieces, and very quickly stir-fried, replace this classic recipe’s usual Chinese water spinach.
Cauliflower and Potato Sabji with Parsley
Combining the soft, sweet steamed cauliflower and potato with the parsley makes this a delicious and hearty dish.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
8 oz (250 g, about ½ a head) cauliflower
2 medium potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon curry powder
A
Scant ¼ cup (50 ml) dry white wine
Scant ¼ cup (50 ml) water
B
½ teaspoons cumin powder
²⁄³ teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
¾ oz (20 g) parsley, minced
DIRECTIONS
1 Divide the cauliflower into florets, and cut into ¾-inch (2-cm) dice. Peel the potatoes and cut into ¾-inch (2-cm) dice.
2 Heat the olive oil and garlic in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil becomes fragrant, add the cauliflower and potato and stir-fry briefly. Add the curry powder.
3 Add the ingredients in A and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to low, and steam-cook for about 6 minutes.
4 Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium to evaporate the excess moisture. Add the ingredients in B and stir-fry briefly. Transfer to a serving plate and add the parsley.
TIP
Sabji is a classic vegetable side dish in India. It is made by steaming a variety of vegetables such as potato, cabbage and okra with spices in a pot. The cauliflower and potato version is delicious on its own, but I added lots of chopped parsley to turn it into a salad. You can mix in any baby greens of your choice instead of parsley. You can also use it as a sandwich filling.
Vegetable-packed Stir-fried Glass Noodles Japchae
The springy, chewy glass noodles are the star of this vegetable-packed dish, which goes so well with plain rice.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
2 oz (50 g) glass or cellophane noodles made with mung beans or sweet potato (the latter is called dangmyeon)
½ thin burdock root
½ medium carrot
2 small red bell peppers
2 thin green onions (scallions)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 If using mung bean noodles, soak them in plenty of lukewarm water for 10 minutes until they soften. If using dangmyeon, Bring a generous amount of water to a boil and cook the noodles for 6 to 7 minutes. Drain well.
2 Finely shred the burdock root, soak in water for 3 minutes, and drain well. Finely shred the carrot, and then slice the red bell pepper thinly, and cut the green onions diagonally into ¾-inch (2-cm) pieces.
3 Heat the sesame oil and ginger in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is fragrant, add the burdock root and stir-fry. When the burdock root is crisp-tender, add the carrot and bell pepper and continue stir-frying. Add the glass noodles from Step 1 and stir-fry to combine.
4 Combine the sake, mirin and soy sauce, and add to the pan. Stir-fry until the liquid has cooked off. Season with salt, add the green onion and stir-fry quickly before serving.
TIP
Japchae is one of the most popular dishes in Korean cuisine, consisting of stir-fried vegetables, meat or seafood and glass noodles. Since it has a sweet-salty flavor, it’s so easy to eat. My children love it, so I make it often at home.
Stir-fried Chicken with Bamboo Shoots and Ginger
This is my take on a stir-fried oyster dish from Taiwan. If you chop up the garlic chives finely, they will be easier to eat, and it also makes them blend better with the other ingredients.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
8 oz (250 g) boneless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
6 garlic chives (also called Chinese chives)
4 oz (100 g) vacuum-packed or canned bamboo shoots
¹⁄₃ leek (the white part)
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or sake)
A
1 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
DIRECTIONS
1 Optionally remove the skin from the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1½- inch (4-cm) cubes and dust with the potato or cornstarch. Cut the garlic chives into ¾-inch (1-cm) pieces.
2 Slice the bamboo shoots lengthwise into ¼ inch (5 mm) thick pieces. Thinly slice the leek on the diagonal.
3 Heat the sesame oil and ginger in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is fragrant add the chicken and pan-fry it, turning occasionally.
4 When the chicken is browned, add the ingredients from Step 2 and stir-fry briefly. Add the Shaoxing wine, cover the pan with a lid and steam-cook over low heat for about 3 minutes.
5 Add the ingredients from A and mix to evenly coat everything in the pan. Add the garlic chives and stir-fry briefly.
Stir-fried King Oyster Mushrooms with Cabbage
The delicious flavor of the king oyster mushrooms is enhanced by the rich flavor of the nam pla and the sweetness of honey. This is a very comforting dish.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTE
4 king oyster or eryngii mushrooms
3 coriander stalks
7 oz (200 g) cabbage—about 1⁄6 of a head
2 teaspoons sesame oil
A
½ fresh red chili pepper (de-seeded and chopped)
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon nam pla
1 teaspoon honey
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut the mushrooms in half lengthwise. Thinly slice each half.
2 Mince the coriander. Slice the cabbage.
3 Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry. When they start to wilt, combine the A ingredients and add them to the pan. Continue stir-frying until there is very little moisture left in the pan.
4 Turn off the heat, add the coriander and mix. Transfer to serving plates.
* This dish tastes best after being left to rest for about 30 minutes. It keeps in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
TIP
This recipe was inspired by a Thai dish called yum hed. I marinated the mushroom in chili peppers and honey, and added Thai flavor with the chopped coriander. Other mushrooms such as shimeji, shiitake or portabella mushrooms would be delicious too. Serving the mushrooms with shredded cabbage makes it much more salad-like.
Grilled Eggplant and Chicken Salad
The sweet, soft grilled eggplant melts in your mouth in this delicious dish. This dish is called yum ma kuer or yum ma kuer yao in Thai.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES
3 long, thin Chinese eggplants
½ red onion
4 fresh coriander stalks
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 oz (100 g) ground chicken
2 tablespoons Thai Nam Pla Dressing (see page 15), divided
DIRECTIONS
1 Poke several holes in the eggplants with a skewer or fork. Place on a grill or a grill pan over medium-low heat, and grill while rolling them around occasionally until the surfaces of the eggplants are charred. Alternatively, roast the eggplants in a 400°F (200°C) oven until softened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Turn once midway through.
2 Place the hot eggplants in a bowl of cold water, and rapidly peel off the skin. Place on paper towels to drain, and cut into bite-size pieces.
3 Thinly slice the red onion lengthwise and put into a bowl of cold water for about 3 minutes. Drain well. Roughly chop the coriander.
4 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and brown the ground chicken. Add 1 tablespoon of the dressing and stir-fry until there is very little moisture left in the pan.
5 Combine the ingredients from Steps 2, 3 and 4 in a bowl, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the dressing and toss to combine.
Fried Tofu and Bean Sprout Stir-fry
This delicious vegetarian stir-fry is called pad tua ngok in Thai. Although plain tofu is the norm, I have given it a twist here by using hearty, thick deep-fried tofu (atsuage) instead.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
1 piece (approx. 4½ oz / 125 g) thick deep-fried tofu (called atsuage; available at Asian grocery stores)
2 small red bell peppers
2 dried wood ear mushrooms (optional)
4 oz (100 g) soy bean sprouts
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
A
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon nam pla
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons whole unsalted peanuts
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut the thick fried tofu in half lengthwise, and slice crosswise into 2⁄³ inch (1.5 cm) wide pieces. Slice the bell peppers thinly lengthwise. Soak the wood ear mushrooms (if using) in lukewarm water for 15 minutes until they are softened, and cut off the stems. Shred thinly.
2 Remove the thin roots from the bean sprouts.
3 Heat the sesame oil and garlic in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is fragrant, add the ingredients from Step 1 and stir-fry until the tofu is browned. Add the A ingredients and continue stir-frying until there is very little moisture left in the pan.
4 Turn up the heat to high, add the ingredients from Step 2 and the peanuts, and stir-fry briefly.
Stir-fried Broccolini with Ginger
This simple Chinese-style stir-fry highlights the flavor and texture of broccolini, a tender cousin of broccoli.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 5 MINUTES
8 broccolini stalks
2 teaspoons sesame oil
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
A
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or sake)
¼ teaspoons salt
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut off the tough root ends of the broccolini stems.
2 Heat the sesame oil and ginger in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil becomes fragrant, add the broccolini and stir-fry briefly.
3 Add the A ingredients to the frying pan. Cover with a lid and steam-fry for about 90 seconds.
Stir-fried Tatsoi with Black Bean Sauce
Salty, flavor-packed douchi or fermented black soy beans (see page 6) really bring out the flavor of the vegetables in this simple stir-fry.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 5 MINUTES
3½ oz (100 g) tatsoi (about half a head—or substitute bok choy, pak choi or Swiss chard)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1½ tablespoon douchi (Chinese fermented black soybeans)
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or sake)
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut off the root end of the tatsoi and pull the leaves apart.
2 Bring a pan of water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and boil the tatsoi for 1 minute. Drain well and arrange on a serving plate.
3 Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a small pan over medium heat. Add the douchi and Shaoxing wine when the oil is fragrant and bring to a boil. Pour over the tatsoi while still hot.