Asian Greens, Chinese Restaurant Style

Recipe: Asian Greens, Chinese Restaurant Style

Page: HTCE, p. 266

Rating: ****

Once again, I discovered a gem of a recipe when I turned to Bittman's Red Book in desperation. We were having an Asian meal and I wanted a side dish. I made my trusty Chinese Cucumber Salad which everyone loves, even though my cukes were looking a bit puny. I tasted the salad 10 minutes before dinner would be ready and realized that the cukes didn't just look puny... they were AWFUL. Help?!

Open the fridge: a few carrots, some unnamed Asian greens from the Chinese store, and some Napa cabbage. Hmmm...

Open the Red Book: "Asian Greens, Chinese Restaurant Style" (p. 266). AND, it was "fast." Perfect.

The verdict? A definite winner and will be a faithful repeat in our house. That oyster sauce which I'd bought for some other Asian recipe a while back? It's the secret ingredient! It must be in everything at the cheap Chinese restaurant around the corner! Beef and broccoli--definitely in that dish. It's a salty, thick condiment that really is one of those hard-to-put-your-finger-on Chinese restaurant tastes.

And the kids and hubby? Loved the greens. I used the leftovers the next night in a stir-fry.