Recipe: Bok Choy with Carrots

This is the second recipe from our accidental vegan meal.  I'm not a fan of carrots.  I actually despise them with the hate of a thousand burning suns.  They are far too sweet for my tastes.  Unfortunately they grow very well here in New England, which means that I get quite a lot of them from my farm share.  I decided to use them in this dish because... well, I had to use them somehow, and I figured the spouse and the kid both like them.  As it turned out, I managed to choke them down too, although I'll admit that every time I saw them on the plate I picked them out.  Yes, I hate them that much, and I always have, and I probably always will.  Please don't lecture me on their nutritional properties.  They still taste like carrots.  

Anyway, I actually screwed up the order in which I started this dish but it worked out okay.  Carrots, in addition to the unforgivable crime of tasting like carrots, have a long cooking time.  My error allowed the carrots to cook longer and at a higher heat than the other vegetables and that was okay.  This made a fine side dish.  It would probably make an okay main dish too although it lacks protein.  If you're serving it with a protein-laden starch it should be just fine.

Bok Choy with Carrots (serves 4; approx. $1.61/serving)

2 - 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 bok choy, leaves and stalks separated, each chopped and washed

4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal.

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ginger salt

1/4 cup vegetable broth 

1 teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil

Equipment:

• Large wok

1. Heat the wok over high heat.
2. Turn on your vent fan.
3. Add the sesame oil.  
4. Add the carrots.  Saute about 2 minutes.
5. Add the onion, garlic and ginger salt.  Saute until fragrant.
6. Add the bok choy stalks.  Saute until tender.  There will be quite a bit of water clinging to the stalks, but there might be some concerns about burning.  Add the vegetable broth if you start to suspect that the vegetables are burning.  
7. Add the bok choy leaves.  Saute until tender.  
8. Transfer to your serving vessel.  Add the hot pepper sesame oil and serve.