Stir-Fry
Bok Choy w/Black Tree-Ear Mushrooms
- Serves 4
Author Notes
A simple dish that makes a good accompaniment to many Chinese meals, and is truly good by itself with just a bowl of steamed rice. Any left-overs can be mixed with an egg or two, scrambled, and a little rice from the night before, to make a quick and delicious lunch. The mushrooms are sold in Asian/Chinese markets in dehydrated form and must be soaked in warm water for about 15 minutes, then drained, before using--they expand greatly, especially if you get the kind that is compressed into small bars (about the size of a hotel guest soap). Fill a soup bowl with warm water and drop them in, then leave it and come back in 15 minutes--they fill the whole bowl! Amazing! These mushrooms are very subtle and delicate in flavor, yet give a wonderful texture to any dish they are added into. —BeijingRose
Ingredients
-
1
large bunch of fresh bok choy
-
2
handfuls of dried black mushrooms (dehydrated), or one small compressed block
-
1
envelope of chicken broth
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1 tablespoon
garlic powder
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2 tablespoons
corn starch
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1/4 cup
soy sauce
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1 tablespoon
vegetable oil
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1 tablespoon
sesame seed oil
Directions
- Break apart the big bunch of bok chop, all the way down to the bottom and separate the leaves--look carefully to make sure there is no dirt under the stems. Soak in a sink of cold water for 10 minutes and wash the leaves and stems. I cut them all the way down to the bottom,--all of the crisp and crunchy white stem is used. Cut each stalk into large chunks.
- Drop the dried mushrooms in a bowl of warm water and let them soak for 15-20 minutes to re-hydrate. When they are fully expanded, rinse them off with warm water and squeeze out the excess.
- Mix one cup of cold water with the cornstarch and envelope of powdered chicken broth & the soy sauce, and stir well. Stir again just before you pour it into the dish in case it settles.
- Heat the sesame seed oil in the bottom of the wok and thow in the mushrooms first, and sprinkle with 1/2 TBSP of garlic powder. Stir-fry them for 5 minutes or so until they are well-coated.
- Drain the bok choy and toss it into the wok on top of the mushrooms, pour the cornstarch/broth over the top of the pile and sprinkle on the rest of the garlic powder. Stir-fry lightly just until the greens begin to wilt a little, but DO NOT OVERCOOK! The key to this dish is the crispy crunch of the white stem pieces and the softness of the green leaves, which should still retain their deep jade color. Cover for a couple of minutes to let it all steam, then pour into a large bowl to serve.
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