I’m finding myself trying to eat more healthy into this new year and also get in a lot more veggies than I typically do. So when I ended up with a couple of heads of baby bok choy, I definitely was scratching my head a bit on what to do with them. But then I found this Spicy Stir-Fry Baby Bok Choy with Ginger & Soy Sauce recipe on the Cookin’ Canuck site via Tasty Kitchen and I knew I had to try it.
What I was finding while searching high and low for baby bok choy recipes was that often times it was either a side dish to a more complicated protein or else the recipe was calling for a ton of ingredients that I honestly didn’t have the time to go hunt down this week. So the recipe I landed on really hit home for me because it only required that I buy some fresh ginger…score!
Here’s a fun cooking fact about me: I’ve never cooked with fresh ginger. It’s not that I’ve been unsure of how to work with it, but it’s more due to a memory from several years ago of sitting at the bar in my parents’ kitchen chatting with my mom while she whipped up a meal. I distinctly remember asking her what this smell was that was very strong and she said it was fresh ginger. Now I’m sure whatever sauce she was making with the ginger was amazing but that super strong smell and how it almost stung my eyes really stuck with me. So yeah I wasn’t dying to deal with fresh ginger.
The great thing was that it really wasn’t as strong as I thought it would be. I didn’t grate the ginger, which seems to result in a stronger flavor. Instead I finely minced it, and that combined with the garlic, soy sauce, chili paste, and sesame oil worked harmoniously and no one flavor stood out. Ginger crisis averted!
As far as the baby bok choy goes, here’s what I learned about this veggie. A) It’s undeniably adorable. So cute and tiny! B) It is not only easy to cook but it’s super fast to make too. (Always two things I enjoy.) C) It’s delicious and you get great flavor by doing a fast saute (about a minute) and then steaming it quickly (about 1-2 minutes) to further cook it. D) It’s not the most attractive food to eat when quartered lengthwise but was really tasty. Next time I’m thinking it could be great chopping into large bite-sized pieces and stir-frying that way, so that you have a more manageable piece to eat.
I’m pretty excited about this week’s culinary adventure where I finally cooked with 2 new-to-me ingredients. Click here for the recipe and step by step instructions.
A look back:
One year ago: 3 Kinds of Goodness in 1 Dish – Gnocchi with Squash and Kale
Two years ago: Oooh, Smoky Corn Chowder!
Three years ago: Chicken and Dumplings…Or Along Those Lines
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