Choi Recipes

At Marvin's Garden Produce we grow two types of choi for baby production, Red and Shiro. They are among the first items on the market table, and for many market goers they may also be among the more puzzling offerings.

Diced Choi with Shrimp


Ingredients
2 baby Choi heads, cleaned and diced
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup baby shrimp
Pinch of chili pepper, salt and pepper to taste


Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a pan that is lightly oiled and stir for a few minutes. You don't want the choi to become limp, so usually less than 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Vegetarian Potstickers

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound firm tofu
• 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped bok choy
• 1/4 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
• 1/4 cup finely chopped bamboo shoots
• 1/4 cup finely chopped garlic chives
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 package potsticker or gyoza wrappers
• 2 tablespoons oil for frying the dumplings

Instructions:

Drain the tofu, cut into cubes and mash. Wash and prepare the vegetables. Combine the tofu with the remainder of the ingredients and seasonings.


Lay out one of the gyoza wrappers in front of you. Dip your finger in the water and moisten the edges of the wrapper.


Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper.


Fold the gyoza wrapper over the filling and pinch the edges to seal it shut. (You may want to use a cornstarch/water mixture to make this easier).


Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok.When oil is ready, carefully add the dumplings and cook on high heat until golden brown (about 1 minute). Without turning the dumplings over, add 1/2 cup of water and cover. Cook for about 1 minute to cook the raw filling and then uncover and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed.


Serve the potstickers with the burnt side on top, with potsticker dipping sauce or soy sauce mixed with minced ginger for dipping. 

Fried Choi

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound bok choy
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• 2 cups oil for deep-frying, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Instructions:

Wash the bok choy and drain thoroughly. Finely chop the toasted almonds.


When the bok choy has dried, separate the stalks and leaves. Roll the leaves up cigar-style, and then cut into thin shreds.


Heat the oil in a wok to between 300 and 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a batch of the shredded bok choy. Submerge the bok choy shreds in the hot oil for a few seconds only and remove quickly. (If you have one, a mesh deep-frying basket is ideal for this). Do not let the leaves turn brown. Drain on paper towels. Continue with the remainder of the bok choy shreds.


Place the shreds in a bowl and toss with the sugar and chopped almonds. Serve immediately. 

Chicken and Choi Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 3 medium chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 3 large bok choy stalks with leaves
• Marinade:
• 1 TB Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 green onion, diced
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 TB water
• 1 tsp white rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp black rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Other:
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons water
• 4 to 5 TB oil for stir-frying, as needed

Instructions:

Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2-inches long. Add the rice wine or sherry, green onion and the cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.


While the chicken is marinating, prepare the bok choy and the sauce. Separate the bok choy leaves and stalks, and cut both cross-wise into thin strips.


Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.
 
Heat wok and add 2 TB oil. When oil is ready, add the chicken and stir-fry until it turns white and is nearly cooked. (Stir-fry in two batches if necessary). Drain the stir-fried chicken on paper towels.


  Clean out the wok and add 2 - 3 TB oil. When oil is ready, add the bok choy stalks. Stir-fry briefly and add the leaves.


Push the bok choy up to the sides of the wok and add the sauce in the middle. Turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch/water mixture to the sauce and stir rapidly to thicken.


Add the chicken. Mix through and serve hot. Serves 4.