Tat-Sai
Tat-sai is a mild, tender green that works anywhere
spinach does. Try adding to salad!
Chilled
Sesame-Ginger Tat-soi
1 1/2 lb Tat-sai; washed & dried
Salt to taste
1/3 c Soy sauce
2 tb Sesame oil
1 tb Ginger; minced
2 tb Sugar
1/4 c White vinegar
4 ds Tabasco sauce
Black pepper to taste
1/4 c Sesame seeds; toasted
l. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the tat-sai,
blanch for 1 minute, drain, immediately plunge into ice water to stop the
cooking process, and drain again.
2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, sugar,
vinegar and Tabasco. Mix well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the tat-sai and dressing, and mix well
Refrigerate until well chilled, garnish with sesame seeds and serve. Yield:
4 servings.
Peanut egg noodle tat-sai
Tat-sai (or Bok Choy or Spinach), raw-chopped, 6 cup
Carrots, raw, 1.5 cup, chopped
Garlic, 3 cloves
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
Sesame Oil, 1 1tsp
Onions, raw, .25 cup, chopped
Egg Noodles, enriched, 3.5 cup
sauce:
natural peanut butter, 5 tbsp
White wine Vinegar, 1 tbsp
Soy sauce (tamari), 3 tbsp
Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Sauté oil and garlic 5 minutes. Add carrots and onion sauté 5 minutes. Add
tat-soi sauté till tender.
Mix together ingredients for sauce. Poor over mixture. Stir fry a few
minutes. Serve over egg noodles.
Number of Servings: 4
Hanoi Noodle Soup with
Chicken, Tat-sai
This flavorful soup is a delicious and hearty meal in a bowl.
8 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic peeled
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup fresh mint leaves
2 whole chicken breasts, bone in
1-pound bok choy chopped (try the Napa cabbage)
¼ pound wide Vietnamese rice noodles
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
½ pound baby tatsai
Tuong Ot Tao (Vietnamese hot sauce)
In a medium stockpot, bring chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat. Add
ginger, garlic, ¼ cup cilantro and mint leaves, and chicken. Simmer until
chicken is cooked through about 30 minutes. Remove chicken and allow to
cool. Tear each breast into about 6 pieces, discard bones. Strain broth and
return to pot over low heat. Add bok choy (or Napa) and simmer 5-10 minutes.
Soak noodles in hot water until softened, 5-10 minutes. Cook noodles in
boiling water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold
water.
Divide noodles among 6 bowls. Add chicken pieces, scallions, remaining mint
and cilantro, and tatsai. Pour hot broth and bok choy over top. Serve with
Tuong Ot Toi.
Green Jade Soup
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
6 cups vegetable stock or 2 cubes vegetable bouillon dissolved in 6 cups
water
1 ½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
1 ½ cups thinly sliced carrot rounds
1 ½ cups thinly sliced leeks or onions
2 cups chopped Napa cabbage, bok choy or kale
4 cups firmly packed rinsed, chopped fresh spinach or use the Tatsai
1 cake tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
Place the shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, cover with the boiling
water, and set aside for about 10 minutes. Heat the stock or bouillon in a
large soup pot, when it comes to a boil, add the ginger, carrots, leeks or
onions, and cabbage. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until
the vegetables are tender. Drain the shiitake and add the soaking liquid to
the soup. Thinly slice the shiitake caps and stir them into the soup along
with the spinach and tofu. Cook for 5 minutes, add salt to taste. Serve
garnished with scallions and sesame oil if desired. This soup is best when
it’s just cooked. If you are preparing the soup ahead of time don’t add the
spinach until just before serving.
Tatsai with Sesame Oil
Vinaigrette
Tiny spoon shaped Tatsai leaves make an unusual salad, especially with the
addition of floral Sichuan Pepper Salt and fragrant dark sesame oil.
8 cups tender Tatsai leaves or salad greens
2 scallions, including some of the greens thinly sliced
1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic chives
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoons dark sesame oil;
½ teaspoon Sichuan Pepper Salt or sea salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Sort though the greens, then trim was and dry them well. Toss the greens
with the scallions and chives. In another bowl whisk together the vinegar,
oils and salt. Taste the dressing on a leaf and adjust the oil or vinegar if
necessary. Pour over the salad, toss well add the sesame seeds, toss again
and serve. From Vegetable Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison