G. G. Stir-fry

I seem to cook what I crave, and I seem to crave two main food categories: Southern and Asian. I know I started this blog to help me deviate from the same ol’, same ol’, but I couldn’t help myself. I had a c(r)aving*.

Last night I made a basic Asian stir-fry with cremini mushrooms, baby broccoli, and sliced seitan. You can make your stir-fry with whatever mixture of vegetables and meat analogs you’d like, but my recommendation is to stick with three or four ingredients, each of a different color. Limiting yourself to three or four not only makes prep easier, but it also prevents flavor mush. You want each ingredient to add, not take away, from the stir-fry you’re making.

Here is my recipe for a basic, delicious brown sauce. It has a lot of garlic and ginger, so KristinAthena nicknamed it G.G. stir-fry.

G.G. Stir-fry Sauce

1 cup vegetable broth
1/8 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 packed Tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced or grated
1 Tbsp. (2-4 cloves) garlic, pressed
Red pepper flakes**
Crushed black pepper**

Combine all ingredients in glass measuring cup. Stir before pouring over cooked stir-fry ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat, stir occasionally. Ready to serve when thick.

**If you want, instead of mixing the red pepper flakes and crushed black pepper in the sauce, add it to your stir-fry ingredients while they cook and turn brightly colored.

*One of my favorite geographers, Allan Pred, used to write the most beautiful articles/books using words marked with parentheses like that. His work was like poetry.

Stems and Leaves from Red & Yellow Chard

Friends leave town – they’re on vacation. They gift you their box full of CSA greens. You want to make them proud.

This was absolutely delish! The coconut milk and curry simply add a delicate flavor without any hostile take-overs.

Stems & Leaves Stir-fry

8 oz. Thai-spiced tofu, drained but not pressed
1 bunch Swiss Chard
1 bunch Red Chard
1 bunch Yellow Chard
1 Bok Choy
1 Baby Bok Choy
2-3 celery stalks
1 Tbsp. canola oil (optional)
2/3 can (or 10 oz.) coconut milk
2-3 Tbsp. Red Curry paste

For all three chards, remove leaves from stalks. Cut stalks into pieces and set aside. Place leaves in a separate area/pile. For both bok choys, separate stalks from base, then cut stalks into pieces up to leafy part. Place stalks in stalk pile and leaves in leaf pile. Cut celery into pieces and place with other stalks.

If using oil, heat in wok over medium heat. Otherwise, heat wok without oil on medium heat for a minute until hot. Add tofu and cook for 1-2 minutes until warmed through. Add stems and cook for 2-3 minutes or until brightly colored. Add leaves and cover. Allow to steam until just wilted. Add coconut milk and curry paste, stir until curry paste is mixed and dissolved completely.

Serve over rice.