Vegetables

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Shingiku is a type of edible Chrysanthemum green that is very delicious.  It has a slight hint of chrysanthemum taste and cooks very fast.  It is also known as Tong Ho in Chinese.  It is sauteed with soy sauce and sesame seeds and oil.  Eat it with poultry, meats or seafood and hot rice.  It is only sold in Chinatown and not all restaurants have this on their menu.

Ingredients:  

3 T roasted sesame seeds

1 1/2 t sugar

1 1/2 t soy sauce

1 1/2 sesame seed oil

1 bunch shingiku

Directions:

To make sauce:  Grind seeds in a mortar, coffee grinder or mini food processor.  Add sugar, soy sauce and sesame seed oil.  Put in a bowl and set aside.  Wash and cut shingiku into 2-3" pieces.  Blanch in boiling water 1 minute.  Drain and put in ice water to stop cooking.  Squeeze out water.  Add shingiku  to the sauce and mix well.  Arrange on a serving plate.

Choy sum is a popular cabbage among the Chinese.  It is a leafy green vegetable, part of the mustard family.  The taste is mild and is not bitter.   In Cantonese, it means heart of the cabbage.  The more mature cabbage has edible yellow flowers.  In Hawaii, almost all restaurants list this on their menu.

Ingredients For The Cabbage:

1 bunch choy sum

1/2 t salt

Ingredients For The Crispy Garlic:

6 T oil

1/4 c garlic, minced

Ingredients For The Sauce:

1/4 c water

1 1/2 T oyster sauce

1 t sugar

1 t sesame oil 

Directions For Cabbage:

Wash cabbage and cut in half to separate stems from the leafy tops.

In a large skillet or wok, add about 2 - 3 quarts water and bring to a boil with salt.  Add stems first and push down in water.   Cover and cook for 1 minute.   Turn stems over and add leaf tops and cook another minute.  Remove cabbage, shaking out water and place on serving plate, stems on one end and leaves on other end.

Directions For The Crispy Garlic:

In a small skillet, heat the oil till hot.  It is ready when bubbles form around the bottom of a wooden chopstick that is inserted standing up in the oil.  Add garlic and stir till golden brown.  It will only take a few seconds.  Immediately remove from stove and pour contents into a small wire strainer and collecting the oil into a small bowl.   Spread garlic on a paper towel lined plate to cool.

Directions For The Sauce:

Put 1 T oil from the garlic into the same skillet.  Heat and  add water, oyster sauce, sugar and sesame oil.  Mix for a few seconds till slightly thickened.  Drizzle sauce over choy sum and sprinkle some crispy garlic for garnish.

Keep excess oil and garlic in a jar, keep at room temperature and use for stir frying or other cooking.

 Nishime is a traditional Japanese simmered dish, often served during Osechi Ryori (New Year’s meal). It's made by simmering various vegetables (like lotus root, carrots, burdock, konnyaku, shiitake mushrooms) and sometimes meat (often chicken) in a seasoned broth of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Each ingredient is typically cut into symbolic shapes and simmered separately to retain flavor and texture before being combined. 

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken

1/4 c butter

1 inch ginger smashed

2 c chicken broth

1 stalk gobo, cut up

4 inch lotus root, peel and cut

1 large carrot, cut up

konnyaku, sliced

12 oz button mushrooms, drained

19 oz bamboo shoots, drained and cut

1 12 inch konbu, soaked, stripped, and tied in knots

Dasheen, peeled and cut into pieces

1/4 c soy 

1 T sugar

Directions:

Heat large pot, melt butter and brown chicken, adding 2 c chicken broth. Cook till 1/2 cooked and set aside. Add all veggies and cook for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally. Add back chicken, add soy and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes

Swamp cabbage often grows in streams and any place where there's lots

of running water.  The stems are hollow and allow the seasonings to penetrate the cabbage.  It is crunchy and cooks very fast.

Ingredients And Directions for (Hahm Ha)

1 t oil  

1/3 of a 2 lb bunch of oong choy, washed well and cut into 3 inch pieces 

2 cloves garlic, smashed 

1 t shrimp sauce (hahm ha)

1 t soy sauce 

Directions:

Heat skillet on high till almost smoking.  Add oil and swish around evenly.  Add garlic and saute few minutes till slightly brown and fragrant.  Add cabbage all at once.  Stir fry till cabbage is soft and wilted (5 minutes or more).  Make a well in the center of the pan and add shrimp sauce, gradually mixing in cabbage.  Drizzle soy sauce over and mix well.

Ingredients And Directions For Fermented Bean Curd: 

1 t oil 

1/3 of a 2 lb bunch of oong choy, washed well and cut into 3 inch pieces

2 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 T fermented white bean curd 

1 t sugar 

Directions:

Heat skillet.  Add oil and swish around evenly.  Saute garlic and add cabbage.  Cook till soft and limp.  In center of frying pan, add fermented bean curd and sugar.  Mix everything and cook another 5 minutes till well blended. 

Ingredients And Directions For Burmese Style: 

1/3 of a 2 lb bunch of oong choy, washed well and cut into 3 inch pieces 

1 T oil 

1 t turmeric 

1 T garlic, minced

1/2 c onions, diced 

1 c tomatoes, diced 

1/4 c tamarind pulp, soaked and pushed through strainer (discard pulp)

1/2 c water

Directions:

 Heat a medium sized saucepan.  Add oil and swish around.  Saute garlic and onions with turmeric about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tamarind pulp and water.  Stir well and cook 20 minutes.    

There are many ways to eat eggplant and this recipe has a delicious flavor with all the spices and sauces.  Because the eggplant is steamed, then stir fried with the other ingredients, you don't see the oil floating like in many restaurants.

Ingredients:

2 lbs long eggplant

1 T oil

4 large mushrooms, sliced

1/2 colored bell peppers, cut into sticks

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T ginger, minced

1-2 fresh chili, thinly sliced (optional)

Sauce:

2 T soy sauce

1 T dark soy sauce

2 T oyster sauce

2 T vinegar

3 T brown sugar

1/4 c water

1 T fermented bean sauce

1 T cornstarch

1 T wine

Topping:

1 t sesame oil

3 green onions, chopped

Directions:

Slice eggplant diagonally into 3/4" slices.  Steam for 15 minutes.  Set aside.

Heat wok and add 1T oil.  Saute chili, ginger, garlic, mushrooms and peppers.  

In a small bowl, mix sauce ingredients, then pour into the veggies.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Add eggplant and cook until well combined with the veggies.  Plate and top with sesame oil and green onions.