Four Nights A Week

As our Clark Farm Fall CSA Share starts to wind down, we are eating more cold-tolerant veggies. This week we received some beautifully fresh pak choi in our share and so, we did what comes naturally. Stir Fry! If you’re wondering about the difference between bok chhoy and pak choi (besides the spelling), this article is a great explainer of both veggies.

The bowls pictured above are treasures from talented ceramicist and potter, Liz Rodriguez. Liz was formerly a studio artist at Western Avenue in Lowell, and now lives and works in Western Massachusetts. Check out her beautiful and unique work here.

Ingredients (adapt as needed)

• Soy (prefer Tamari)
• Toasted sesame oil
• Unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• Heat tolerant oil (like grapeseed)
• Minced fresh garlic and fresh ginger
• Protein of choice (I used extra firm tofu, drained and cut into large cubes)
• Leafy veg (pac choi, spinach, arugala – whatever you feel like using)
• Cook rice for serving

Method

I didn’t follow any particular recipe for this one. The ingredients are fairly standard for stir fries – protein + vegetables + garlic/ginger + sauce. I chose firm tofu, because that’s one of the ways we reduce our consumption of meats – and we like it. The standard sauce I use is tamari soy, splash of toasted sesame oil, and a capful of unseasoned rice wine vinegar.

Start with a hot wok, then add oil. I frequently use coconut oil, but this time I chose heat-tolerant grapeseed oil. Then add prepared (squeeze out as much moisture as possible) tofu or other protein. Sear without turning for about 4 minutes, flip, and sear again. When the tofu has a nice brown crust, remove it to a paper-towel lined plate.

Next add a bit more – about a tablespoon – oil along with about a tablespoon of minced garlic and a tablespoon of fresh ginger minced. Add the pak choi, which has been thoroughly cleaned and cut into chunks (the leafy parts can be larger as they will cook down quickly). Pour a bit of the sauce and let things cook down. If you have other leafy greens add them in as well.

Once everything has cooked down and is soft, return the tofu to the wok, add the rest of the sauce, and cook until everything is good and hot. Serve over rice.