D'Licious Bok Choy with Mock Meat

Happy spring, everyone! Boy, the temperature is getting warmer and the air even smells different! Soon enough, we will be spending more time outside with gardening, entertaining and barbecuing. My life has certainly changed to a different stage since the arrival of the little one. There's limited time to sit down and writing this blog. I still cook, well almost every day but I tend to cook in a hurry. Thus, noting down recipes can be quite tedious. 

When it comes to spring, one can think of spring cleaning. There's another side of spring cleaning that you can try: detox your system by eating meatless meal. In this dish, crispy bok-choy is served with texturized soy protein and shitake mushrooms. It's simple, light yet elegant. Texturized soy protein can be purchased at health food stores or any bulk stores.

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb of green bok-choy
• 4 dried Shitake mushrooms
• 1 cup texturized soy protein
• 1 tbsp cooking oil 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 slices of ginger
• 2 tbsp vegetarian style "oyster" sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp corn starch

METHOD: 

1. Soak dried shitake mushrooms and texturized soy proteins with boiling water for 20 minutes. Once soft, slice mushrooms thinly and cut the soy proteins into cubes
2. In a small bowl, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian style "oyster" sauce, water and corn starch. Mix well with a spoon
3. In a pot of boiling water, blanch bok-choy for 2 to 3 minutes. Place the bok-choy on a serving plate
4. In a small pan, heat up 1 tbsp of cooking oil and sesame oil
5. Once hot, add in the garlic and ginger and cook till the garlic turns golden brown
6. Stir in the mushrooms and texturized soy protein. Cook for another 3 minutes 
7. Add in the sauce, cook till boil and pour over the bok-choy