Our CSA has been delivering huge Bok Choy for the past few weeks. As far as I am concerned this is a great thing because it adds amazing crunch to a stir fry and stir fries are likely the ultimate weeknight meal. They come together quickly and if you are lucky you will have lots of yummy left overs to take to work for lunch the next day!
One thing I always loved about Chinese food was the texture they achieved with meat in their stir fry dishes. It was always tender and melted in your mouth. I discovered they used a process called velveting. The classic way to velvet is using egg whites and cornstarch. Experts say this is the best way to velvet chicken.
However, most restaurants use a cheaper method that works with all meats. This method uses baking soda and cornstarch. This is the method I use because the ingredients are always readily available. Plus I never really find a use for that lone egg yolk so it’s less wasteful.
You velvet the meat for up to one hour so it does add a bit of prep time, but I find it’s well worth it. Of course you don’t have to do this if you want dinner on the table in about 20 minutes. The dish will still taste great but the meat will have a different texture.
Garlic Pork with Bok Choy
1 lb lean pork loin, sliced in strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups sliced bok choy (including the green leaves)
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used sliced king oyster mushrooms)
3 tbs oil
Marinade:
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbs white wine
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
Stir Fry Sauce:
1 cup top-quality chicken stock
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbs mirin -OR- white wine (if using white wine, add 1 tsp sugar)
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tbs corn starch
Place pork in plastic zipper bag. Mix marinade in a small bowl then pour over the pork. Seal the bag and and mush to distribute marinade. Marinate for 1 hour.
In a small bowl, mix all stir fry sauce ingredients; set aside.
In a large deep skillet or wok, heat oil over high heat. When oil shimmers, add the pork and the garlic. Stir fry until pork begins to brown.
Add the bok choy and mushrooms (if using). Stir fry until green bok choy leaves are bright green. Stir in sauce and cook until sauce bubbles and thickens; cook for 1 minute.
Serve over jasmine or basmati rice.
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