August 31, 2023

Creamy Umami Baby Bok Choy Recipe

What’s the perfect, simple baby bok choy recipe? It just might be this one. It also works well for other greens, from yu choy to mustard greens, kale to broccolini. Admittedly I haven’t tried the broccolini, but it sounds delicious. The greens are simmered until just tender in a simple sauce made from garlic, ginger, and – the star of the show- fermented tofu. It gives the sauce all of the creaminess, as well as the funky, salty, pungent flavor (toned down a little from the moisture released from the greens themselves). Serve as a side dish with some rice, and don’t be surprised when the greens get gobbled up first!

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The Secret Ingredient: Fermented Tofu

That briny, salty, funky umami flavor, as well as the almost creamy texture of the sauce on your greens is due to a less known ingredient- fermented tofu. Fermented tofu is part of Chinese food culture. It is sold in crumbly cubes, tightly packed into jars and covered in brine (sometimes with chili, sometimes without). It can melt away when heated, and easily smears like cream cheese when spread. It’s generally stored in the fridge and used as a condiment.

While it might seem like a novel ingredient, if you’ve been vegan for a while there’s a good chance you’ve actually tried it. When it was introduced to the French in 1800, they started referring to it as “soy cheese”, and most found the flavor to be delightful and comparable to French cheeses. And they weren’t the only ones to see the cheese p possibilities, as fermented tofu is the main source of flavor for the popular brand of vegan cheese, Chao Creamery. The flavor of fermented tofu is somewhat toned down in their cheese products, but it is the reason for all the delicious.

I’ve looked at recipes to make fermented tofu before, but making my own has never really appealed to me. Buying a jar is quite affordable (I think I pay about $3.50 a jar), and I live near an Asian grocery store so it’s never really seemed worth waiting a month for it to ferment. If you do make it yourself, please check out a reputable guide for doing so as this sort of fermentation has more potential to go wrong than something like sauerkraut. Buying it premade is a good bit simpler- look for it at your local Asian market. You are unlikely to find fermented tofu at your run of the mill grocery store, and I personally have never found it at a health food store or coop. If you don’t live near an Asian grocery store I would purchase some online. It is shelf stable until opened, after which it should be placed in the fridge.

And if you were wondering, I used the type of fermented tofu without chili but either works fine here.

Looking for Leafy Greens? Try one of these recipes!

How to Make this Creamy, Umami, Baby Bok Choy Recipe

First things first, it doesn’t actually need to be baby bok choy. I used that here, but there are several different greens that would be excellent when cooked in this manner. My favorite is probably yu choy, but I’ve enjoyed everything from Chinese broccoli to kale made up in this creamy, funky sauce. Think about the size and shape that makes sense for the green you’ve picked. Baby bok choy might do well simply cut in half, whereas something like kale would be more suitable when roughly chopped. Prep your greens as well as some garlic, onion, and ginger. Simple.

All of the magic happens in one pan. Start with cooking the onions, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers in a little oil in a large skillet. The chilis don’t add too much heat, but you can always omit them if you are spice-sensitive. Once the onions are cooked it’s time to create the sauce. Add your fermented tofu to the skillet and give it a little mash. It should easily melt. Add to that some rice wine vinegar and a little water. That’s it- your fermented tofu is going to bring all the flavor to the dish, so you really don’t need much more. Once there are no more lumps of tofu, you can add your greens. Cook them just long enough that they become tender in the sauce. If you are cooking a tougher green that requires a longer cook time, you may want to add another tablespoon or so of water if it starts to look a little dry. Give it a taste, add some salt and pepper if you like (although you may find it already salty enough), and that’s it. Serve over rice to make it a meal, and enjoy!

Creamy Umami Baby Bok Choy Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. baby bok choy (other great choices include yu choy, mustard greens, and Chinese broccoli)
½ medium onion
4 cloves garlic
2 dried Thai chili peppers
1 tsp. minced ginger
2 tbsp. fermented tofu (some brine as part of that is great)
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
Oil, salt, and pepper, as needed

Instructions

Wash and pat dry your greens and cut them to strips (or the size you prefer). Cut the onion into thin slices, and mince the garlic and ginger. Set aside.
Heat a small amount of oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, chili peppers, and ginger and stir. Cook for a few minutes, until the onions become fairly translucent.
Turn the heat down a little and add the fermented tofu, rice wine vinegar, and a tablespoon of water to the pan. Mix well, breaking up the tofu so that it’s creamy. Add your greens and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Cook until the greens are tender, and serve over rice for ultimate deliciousness.

https://veryveganval.com/2023/08/31/creamy-umami-baby-bok-choy-recipe/

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