If there is one thing I love while eating at a Chinese restaurant, it has got to be stir fried pea shoots. It is not very often that you see them on a standard, Chinese menu either. I believe I first encountered pea shoots while eating dim sum, many years ago, and as I wanted to pass them up, after all they were green leafy things sitting next to steamed dumplings, I decided to give them a try, and so glad I did.
On Christmas Eve, my father-in-law called us up and said that he was ordering Chinese food from Fortune, a local, and actually decent restaurant in the suburbs. He rattled off what he was ordering, and it was the standard fair, so I asked him to ask the lady over the phone for sauteed greens. He jokingly said “sauteed greens?”. Yes, I said, just ask them for the greens that are sauteed with garlic and oyster sauce. When the ordered arrived, we had a lovely bowl of Chinese pea shoots.
If you are looking for some great greens, and greens that are packed with vitamins and nutrients, and have a really great taste, then head to your local Asian market and pick yourself up some pea shoots. You will be glad you did.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 lb of Chinese pea shoots
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- pinch of sugar
Begin by soaking your peas shoots in cold water, picking over any of the bad leaves, or stems. Next, heat a wok, or a large skillet on medium to high heat. Add the oil, toss in the garlic and ginger, and cook just until fragrant. Remove the greens from the water and toss them into the wok. Add in the water, and give them a gentle toss. Continue to toss gently, watching the greens melt down into a delicious pile of goodness. Now is the time to toss in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and the sugar. Mix well, making sure you incorporate all of the sauces. Plate, and serve with steamed rice.
Trust me on this one, if you are in need of great greens, this is the one. My five year old simply loved them, and that makes her dad a proud dad at that. Enjoy, and happy new year.