Recipe: Som Tam Salad With Joi Choi

2021 Week 18 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from Cheap & Cheerful Cooking

Som Tam Salad is traditionally made with Green Papaya but many other veggies can be subbed in with delicious results- the original riff on this recipe included Kohlrabi but here we suggest using the Joi Choi from your box! Consider throwing in some steamed broccoli as well, the dressing works well with just about anything.

~Rae

1 head Joi Choi

1 carrot

3 cloves garlic

1-2 bird's eye chillies (or sub jalepeno to taste!)

1 heaped tbsp peanuts, roasted

½ pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
String Beans (like the yellow beans in your box!)

Dressing (a staple in Alice's house)

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar

1 pinch salt

Blanch beans in boiling salted water for 2min, then chill and cut into pieces. Slice the carrot into thin strips and Joi Choi into crunch ½-1 inch strips, greens & stems. Place garlic, chilies, salt, and sugar in a mortar and crush finely. Add peanuts and crush roughly. Add lime juice, soy sauce, and tomatoes. Mix everything and squeeze tomatoes lightly. Add dressing and serve with sticky rice.

Recipe: Magic Paste Quick Kimchi

From 2021 Week 11 Newsletter

I always end up sharing this recipe from chef Bill Kim every year because I am such a huge fan-girl! I wasn't too crazy about Kimchi until I tried his incredible flavor combination and simple method. With this recipe you can turn just about anything into Kimchi and if you're not adding your Joi Choi to a stirfry or salad this week, consider using it here!  I love kimchi in fried rice, topping a rice bowl with other roasted veggies, added to soups, dressings, or even dumplings. It's a punch of spicy umami flavor that will enhance so many dishes in interesting ways. (Pic is from the amazing food blog Wild Greens & Sardines where I first encountered Magic Paste) 

~Rae

1-inch piece of ginger, grated
5 cloves of garlic, grated
2 tablespoons fennel seed, ground to a powder
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup fish sauce (more to taste)
1/4 cup Korean chile flakes

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir until well combined.

1 bunch Joi Choi, Bok Choy, or 1 head Napa Cabbage chopped into roughly 2-inch squares
3 cups water
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion (optional)
1 batch Magic Paste

Place cabbage in a large, heat-proof bowl. Bring water to a bowl, stir in the salt and stir until it dissolves. Pour the salted water over the cabbage and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain the cabbage in a colander, rinse thoroughly with cold water and then drain well.

Combine the cabbage, onion, and magic paste in a mixing bowl. Toss until well combined. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve (preferably the same day).