gochujang salmon w chilli & ginger bok choy

I must admit I have been very remiss and haven’t been blogging much of late. Work is very busy, I have been writing articles for a travel website called Gridskipper.com and Jonas has been home nights so we actually get to spend time together. I hardly want to be attached to the computer when I could be hanging out with him.

Nonetheless, I am going to make a concerted effort to blog at least two or three times a week again. Starting today with this bok choy WHB post.

You couldn’t ask for a more simpler recipe than stir fried bok choy. First you blanch it a little to soften it, then you fry it with oil, ginger and chilli. The End.

And it tastes marvellous.

Bok choy can be eaten stir-fried, blanched and steamed. You can add it to stir fries, noodle dishes, soups and you can use young leaves in salads. Tougher leaves can be pickled and since they are cool climate plants, usually grown in spring and autumn, they lend themselves to various types of preserving for winter months.

Bok choy has bright green leaves with paler, chunky, smooth surfaced and oval shaped stems. In fact its shape is a bit like a squat celery bunch.

In English speaking countries, bok choy also known as buk choy, pak choy, pak tsoi, Chinese chard, Chinese celery cabbage and Chinese white cabbage.

Chilli & Ginger Bok Choy
Jonas’ very own recipe. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
1 bok choy
2 tablespoons diced bamboo shoots in chilli oil
1 teaspoon minced red chilli
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Method:
1. Blanch bok choy in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pat dry.
2. Heat sesame oil in a wok.
3. Add garlic, chilli and ginger then stir until fragrant.
4. Add bok choy and stir until thick stem softens a little.
5. Add bamboo shoots and heat through. Remove from heat.

I ate the bok choy with steamed rice and salmon marinated in gochujang - a Korean chilli paste. I first discovered it on a shopping expedition in Chinatown and it’s turning out to have many uses.

Gochujang (고추장) is not too spicy and has quite a sweet flavour. Apparently it’s made from glutinous rice powder (or wheat or barley), soybeans, chilli powder, salt, sugar or honey and then fermented in the sun. It comes out a dark red colour and is quite sticky (at least the brand I use is). Wikipedia claims gochujang was invented in the 1500s, as soon as chilli made its way to Korea, and that there’s a similar paste used in Szechuan cooking too.

Gochujang Salmon
Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
2 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon gochujang
1 teaspoon red miso paste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Sesame oil for frying
Method:
1. Mix the gochujang with the miso paste, soy sauce and lemon juice then smothered over salmon. Refrigerate and leave for 1-2 hours.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add salmon and cook to your liking.

Weekend Herb Blogging is being hosted by the Panamanian gourmet, Melissa, from Cooking Diva. Be sure to click over to her blog to view the results of our international cooking frenzy.

References:
http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/5300.html
http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seeds_pak_choi.html
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/knowhow/glossary/pak-choy

Tags: morsels and musings food blog food and drink australia recipes weekend herb blogging whb main course side dish pak choy bok choy salmon gochujang gochujang recipes seafood recipes fish recipes salmon recipes bok choy recipes pak choy recipes korean recipes korean food korean cuisine