By Eve Fox, Garden of Eating
Garlic scape & pork stir-fried rice
Serves 4
4-6 garlic scapes or 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped or pressed
3-4 scallions or one small onion, sliced
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 lb. cooked pork, thinly sliced
Generous handful of snap peas, washed, with strings and stem end removed
2 carrots, grated (though I didn't include them, they'd be tasty)
2 cups of cooked, cooled rice of your choice
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
For the sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice mirin
1 teaspoon brown sugar or apricot preserves
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon corn starch and a little warm water
1. Prepare the rice. Ideally, you do this hours earlier and give it a chance to cool completely but if not, make sure you start it early enough to be finished in time to add it in to the stir-fry. Prepare according to the directions for the type you're using. You should be making roughly one cup of dry rice to yield roughly two cups of cooked rice.
2. Do all the slicing and dicing needed to get everything ready to go into the wok for cooking. Prepare the sauce by simply mixing the ingredients listed above together well, tasting, and adjusting to make it saltier, sweeter, etc. Once you're happy with the taste, it's time to add the cornstarch to ensure that it thickens up nicely in the dish. Make a slurry by combining the cornstarch with a little warm water and mixing well to dissolve it all. Then pour the slurry into the sauce and stir well.
3. Heat the oil over high heat in your wok or large saute pan. Add the ginger, garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook, stirring for roughly 30-60 seconds – not long enough for any of it to burn, but long enough for the great flavors to infuse the peanut oil.
4. Toss in the garlic scapes and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Then add the cabbage and carrots. Then the scallions and fry for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Throw in the sliced pork and cook for another 2 minutes before adding the rice and the sauce and stirring well to ensure that each grain is coated. Remove from the heat and serve, topped with toasted sesame seeds 'cause they're pretty.
See the full post on Stir It Up!
