Yu Choy with Garlic and Shallots

YU-CHOY WITH GARLIC AND SHALLOTS

Serves 4 as part of a family-style meal

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced or pushed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

1 medium shallot, halved and thinly sliced (about ¼ heaping cup)

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon chili paste, optional

1 bunch yu choy (about 1 pound), chopped

Sesame oil

Heat the wok over high heat for about 30 seconds. Add the vegetable oil and let heat for a few seconds.

Add the garlic and shallots and stir fry quickly for a few seconds to release the aromas. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, water and optional chili paste. Stir to combine.

Add the yu choy and stir fry for about 1-2 minutes until the greens have cooked down. Turn off the heat.

Add a drizzle of sesame oil, stir again and serve immediately.

Dofu Gan & Chinese Sausage

I always keep a package of Chinese sausage in the refrigerator. It has a long shelf life and just a little bit can add dimension to a stir fry. I also stock packages of dofu gan in the freezer and keep one pack in the refrigerator at all times. Dofu gan is dofu (tofu) that's been marinated, pressed and baked. It can be homemade, but most people buy it from the store. On days when I need to make a quick meal, I can rely on these staples to stir fry something the whole family loves.

On this day, when the refrigerator was an "empty" reminder that I needed to go grocery shopping, I julienned the two remaining skinny carrots, a few stalks of celery heart, two mini sweet peppers to stir fry with the dofu gan and sausage.

DOFU GAN & CHINESE SAUSAGE

3-4 Chinese sausages, sliced thinly on the bias

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3-4 squares of dofu gan, sliced (about 2 cups sliced)

1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, julienned (or 1 small)

1 medium carrot, julienned

2 stalks celery, sliced thinly on the bias

1 jalapeno chile, sliced (optional)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup water

Sesame oil

In a wok over medium-low heat, render the sausage. Be sure to stir and turn the sausage frequently to prevent it from burning. You will get some char around the edges, but that's ok. Once the sausage has turned to a darker shade of maroon, remove from heat. Scoop out the sausage pieces and drain on a paper towel.

In the same wok – no need to rinse – heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced dofu gan and spread out in a single layer. Let the dofu sear for about 10 seconds seconds. Stir the tofu to let sear on other sides for a few seconds. Remove the dofu and set set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and let heat. Add the jalapeno slices, if using. Stir fry for a few seconds. Add the bell pepper, celery and carrots. Stir fry for about 1 minute or until vegetables start to soften. Add the dofu and sausage. Stir to combine. Add the soy sauce and water, and continue to stir fry for 1-2 minutes, adjust the heat as needed. Add a light drizzle of sesame oil and stir fry to combine. Taste for seasoning. If needed, you can add a splash of soy sauce or a pinch of salt, if needed. Serve right away.

INGREDIENT NOTES:

This is the Chinese sausage I used for this dish.

This is the dofu gan I used for this dish. If you live where there is a local dofu maker, that would be a great place to look for fresh dofu gan.

What To Do With Leftover Shortribs

 

My husband made braised shortribs last night and we had the meat from about three ribs leftover. I cut them into thick bite-sized chunks and heated them up in a skillet with a splash of soy sauce and water. By the time the meat was heated through, the sauce had caramelized a bit. Separately, I stir fried some frozen corn to serve with the leftover beef. Sometimes, frozen vegetables taste like they were frozen. But stir frying added some sear, and seasoning with a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil enhanced the natural sweetness of the corn.

It was a winner with the kids – so much so that my son had seconds and thirds.

WOK-SEARED CORN

Serves 4

1 10-ounce bag of frozen corn

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Drizzle of sesame oil

Heat wok over high heat. Add the oil and let heat for a few seconds. Add the frozen corn (it will sizzle). Stir fry the corn for about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and continue to stir. After about 30-60 seconds, the corn should have a light sear and be fully heated through. Add a light drizzle of sesame oil, stir and serve.

Note: If desired, you can add chopped green onions and/or minced garlic before adding the corn to flavor the oil a bit.

Tomato Eggs

I love this dish for its simplicity and its utilitarian nature that carries it through breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's even better when local tomatoes are actually in season, but a hothouse tomato will do in a pinch. And, like a custard base that can achieve several outcomes, this combination of ingredients (eggs, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, green onions) can be a stir-fry or it can be transformed into tomato egg drop soup or a steamed custardy soup that resembles chawan mushi.

TOMATO EGG

SERVES 3-4 FAMILY STYLE

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed

1 stalk green onion, finely chopped

6 large eggs, beaten

1/8 teaspoon white pepper, optional

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Splash of water, if needed

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional

In a wok or skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the green onions and fry for about 15-20 seconds. Add the beaten eggs and cook, gently scrambling the eggs. Add the white pepper, if using. Once the eggs are cooked but still tender, push them to side of the wok where it's not as hot. Add about a teaspoon of oil to the center of the wok. Let heat for a few seconds. Add the diced tomatoes and stir-fry the tomatoes until they are soft and have released their juices, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and stir. Combine the eggs with the sauce. If it looks too dry, add just a splash of water. Gently stir-fry for about 1 minute. Drizzle with sesame oil, if using, and serve with rice and other dishes as part of a family-style dinner.

Note: Of course, if you like it spicy, you can add some hot sauce when you add the soy sauce.