Hello hive friends.
I had intended on contributing to this week's Hive Top Chef, but as usual, I did not make it on time.
That is perfectly fine, because the theme this week was Bok Choy, and I always have it in my fridge. This was a prompt to make something with it.
I never really had bok choy until I was an adult. I grew up with my dad who raised me, and didn't cook anything exotic. We would have our tastiest meals in restaurants on special occasions.
Eventually I would have bok choy, included in some sort of dish, at Chinese restaurants. In much later years I would start cooking it myself in a stir fry or added to soup.
These days in Montreal, bok choy is found in almost every grocery store. I don't have to go to China town to get it. I can go a few steps from my apartment.
Today I will be sharing a noodle dish with bok choy. I have never made this exact recipe before. I decided on ingredients and amounts, as I went along.
Boy choy needs to be washed carefully. I find it holds quite a bit of sand. One thing I always notice, is that it has spots that seem like sand, but is a part of the vegetable. I give it a rub to make sure.
This vegetable is usually cut in chunks or even cooked whole. I decided to remove the more delicate green part, keeping it separate from the white heavier ends. I didn't want the green part to be over cooked.
I cut the bok choy into thin strips to make it easier to incorporate with the noodles.
This is the first time I have ever cut them this way. It's also the first time I have put them with noodles in this amount.
Speaking of amounts. I know there is a large amount of boy choy here. It does shrink down after cooking. I used a large amount so they would not disappear in the noodles. I wanted them to be the main player in this dish. The flavour being so mild, doesn't overpower anything.
Supporting cast items
I always have oyster mushrooms. I forage them from the local grocer shelf. They grow in packages.
Bok choy noodles
700g bok choy
65g carrot
150g oyster mushrooms
150g onion
50g garlic
25g ginger
20 fresh chili pepper
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs vegetarian oyster sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
3 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs agave nectar
2 tbs black vinegar
1 tbs sesame oil
Salt to taste if necessary
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp dried chili pepper
300g rice noodles
Oil for cooking
I used one small carrot and cut into strips like the bok choy.
The items were chopped sliced and diced, and ready to go into the pan.
I chose rice noodles after debating whether to use that or wheat noodles. In the end I thought I should go gluten free for this one. I had eaten bread the day before.
The rice noodles were soaked in luke warm water. This particular brand is fairly tough and can sit without getting to soft too fast.
I drained the noodles and let them sit. They were still fairly firm, which is what I wanted. They would cook with the other ingredients later.
Saute onions until translulent.
Add chili, garlic and ginger.
Add carrots and seasonings.
Add soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, agave nectar (or sugar), and black vinegar. I happened to have black vinegar, but I would have used rice vinegar or lime juice, if that is all I had.
Mix cornstarch with vegetable broth and add.
Stir gently.
Cook and stir until cornstarch is cooked and mixture has thickened. Add more broth if it's too thick for your liking. Set aside in a bowl.
In a clean hot pan with oil, add the white part o the bok choy.
After a few minutes, add mushrooms.
When the white bok choy and mushrooms are cooked, add the green part.
Add the mixture and stir into the boy choy and mushrooms.
Add the soaked rice noodles.
Carefully mix the noodles with the vegetables.
Cook until the noodles are done. Rice noodles will not take long. I personally do not like over cooked noodles of any kind.
This was simple over all and can me made in variations that are to one's liking.
It was spicy the way I wanted it. However I know people that would never touch any spice whatsoever. This would be good even without it.
The amount made would be enough for 3 people with average appetites.
This was not heavy because of all the bok choy. For something heavier it could have had a protein like tofu.
Thanks for dropping by and have a great day.