Serves 2–4 Stir-Fried Bok Choy
Serves 2–4
$ Total Cost: $2.07
1 bok choy
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons water
Serve on the side, or use to enliven a basic meat dish such as Basic Chicken stir-fry (Chapter 14).
1. Separate each stalk and leaves. Cut the stalks diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Cut the leaves crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
2. Add the oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the bok choy stalks. Stir-fry for about 1 minute and then add the leaves. Add salt, sprinkle the water over, and cover and cook on medium heat, until the bok choy is tender but still firm and not mushy.
Three Vegetable Stir-Fry
Serves 2
$ Total Cost: $2.51
2 ounces snow peas
¾ tablespoons oil for stir-frying
½ can baby corn, rinsed and drained
3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
The combination of shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, and baby corn provides an interesting contrast in color and texture. Serve with a more highly seasoned dish.
1. Wash and string the snow peas.
2. Add oil to a preheated wok or frying pan. Add the baby corn and stir-fry briefly, then add the snow peas. Stir-fry until the snow peas turn a bright green. Push them up to the side and add the mushrooms. Add the dark soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Mix through.
Stir-Fried Water Chestnuts and Bamboo Shoots
Serves 2
$ Total Cost: $1.58
1 tablespoon oil for stir-frying
½ teaspoon minced ginger
1 4-ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
teaspoon salt
½ can water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chicken broth
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
½ green onion, cut into 1½-inch pieces
Use this basic recipe anytime you want to stir-fry vegetables. The only thing that will change is the stir-frying time for different types of vegetables.
1. Cut the water chestnuts in half.
2. Add the oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the bamboo shoots. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, and add the salt. Mix in and add the water chestnuts. Stir-fry for 1–2 more minutes, and then add the chicken broth, soy sauce, and sugar.
3. Bring the broth to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer for a few more minutes, until everything is nicely cooked through. Stir in the green onion and serve.
Stir-Frying in Order
stir-fry vegetables according to density, adding the thickest vegetables to the wok first, so that they cook longest. If you’re uncertain about the correct order, just stir-fry all the vegetables separately and add back into the wok during the final stages of cooking.
Vegetable Chop Suey
Serves 2
$ Total Cost: $5.00
¼ cup water chestnuts, fresh or canned
½ green bell pepper
½ red bell pepper
½ bunch bok choy
¼ pound snow peas
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
teaspoon salt
¾ tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon minced ginger
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ red onion, chopped
½ cup fresh mushrooms
½ teaspoon sugar
½ carrot, thinly sliced on the diagonal
¼ cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
½ tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Don’t have any bok choy on hand? You can use broccoli instead of bok choy and green beans instead of snow peas.
1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp towel and slice. If using fresh water chestnuts, wash and peel. If using canned, rinse in warm water and slice. Cut the green and red bell peppers in half, remove the seeds, and cut into thin strips. For the bok choy, separate each stalk and leaves. Cut the stalk diagonally and cut the leaves across. Wash and string the snow peas. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a preheated wok or frying pan. When oil is ready, add the bok choy stalks. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the leaves. Add the salt, and sprinkle with water. Cover and cook on medium heat until the bok choy is tender but still firm. Remove and set aside.
2. Wipe out the wok with a paper towel and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil is ready, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the red onion and stir-fry. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the green and red peppers and the snow peas. Stir-fry for about a minute, then add the mushrooms and ½ teaspoon of sugar and continue stir-frying. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the water chestnuts and carrot. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the bean sprouts.
3. Mix cornstarch and water, then stir in the oyster sauce. Add the removed vegetables back into the wok and mix. Make a well in the center and gradually add the cornstarch/oyster sauce mixture, stirring to thicken. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, and serve hot.
Spicy Eggplant Stir-Fry
Serves 2
$ Total Cost: $1.53
½ eggplant
1½ tablespoon oil for stir-frying
1 tablespoon red rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon chili paste
teaspoon sesame oil
This dish can be made with truncheon-shaped Chinese eggplant or the thicker eggplant commonly available in local supermarkets.
1. Wash the eggplant, cut off the ends, and slice diagonally into 1-inch pieces.
2. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant slices, stir-frying in batches if necessary. Stir-fry for about 2–3 minutes.
3. Add the red rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and chili paste, and mix through. Drizzle the sesame oil over and give a final stir.
Braised Baby Bok Choy
Serves 2
$ Total Cost: $4.40
2 bunches baby bok choy
¼ cup chicken stock or broth
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon oil for stir-frying
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
Also called Shanghai bok choy, baby bok choy has a sweeter flavor and is more tender than regular bok choy.
1. Wash and drain the baby bok choy. Cut off the roots and separate the stalks and leaves.
2. Combine the chicken stock, water, sugar, and rice vinegar.
3. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is ready, add the garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic.
4. Add the bok choy stalks and stir-fry until they turn a bright green. While stir-frying the stalks, add the leaves.
5. Add the chicken broth mixture. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and drizzle with the sesame oil.
Better Bok Choy
For best results, always separate bok choy stalks from the leaves prior to stir-frying, as the thick stalks take longer to cook. At the other end, be careful not to overcook the bok choy.