Organic Recipe Friday: Tatsoi

Almost Too Pretty to Eat

I went to my favorite farmer’s market last weekend with one thing on my mind: apples. Well, two if you count apple cider. What can only be described as a very thirsty woman snatched up the last half dozen bottles of apple cider but there were hundreds of apples left. After I selected a dozen, I surveyed the other offerings. I couldn’t resist the petite butternut squash, the bright green pea shoots or the gorgeous and massive head of tatsoi, a not-too-distant relation of bok choy but with thinner stems and darker leaves, and it grows in the shape of a rosette, not a compact head.

I then laid eyes on a box of romanesco cauliflowers, undeniably the most beautiful (and unreal) vegetables I’ve ever seen. Light lime green and covered in conical shapes with a spiral pattern. I can imagine an artist or someone in a labcoat inventing them. They reminded me of tiny trees and seemed perfect for a centerpiece at a dinner party. Definitely too pretty to eat, so I left them behind. Maybe next time I’ll be a bit less intimated by their beauty and strangeness. I brought my bounty home, found this great sauce for a tatsoi dish on Epicurious, and cooked up something delicious.

Tatsoi With Rice Noodles

• Serves 5
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 carrot, sliced thinly or quartered lengthwise and chopped
• Eight-ounce package of fake beef strips (gluten-based), cut in half or thirds
• 1 medium head of tatsoi, sliced and coarsely chopped
• Big handful or two of pea shoots, coarsely chopped (optional)
• Six ounces rice noodles

In a small saucepan, heat liquids (reserving tablespoon of oil for later) over low heat until sugar is dissolved.

In a wok, heat tablespoon of sesame oil in wok. Saute onion until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and cook until quite fragrant. Add pepper, carrots and fake beef; cook for a couple of minutes. Add tatsoi and optional pea shoots. Pour rice vinegar sauce into wok and stir well. Allow tatsoi to wilt.

Meanwhile, cook rice noodles according to directions. When cooked, rinse briefly with cold water to decrease stickiness.

Serve vegetables over rice noodles.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User (& author) bornOKthefirsttime