“My cooking is so awesome even the smoke alarm cheers me on.” -Unknown

This week’s recipe is…
Bok Choy Stir Fry and Garlic Fried Rice!

Now we all know that having the smoke alarm cheering us on isn’t good, so let’s not let it cheer us on shall we? And we certainly wouldn’t want it to turn on during this incredible recipe. This week’s recipe is unique. It is no other than Bok Choy Stir Fry and Garlic Fried Rice! What is Bok choy? It is a type of Chinese cabbage. And not only is it cabbage, but it is also the main ingredient for this week’s recipe. But what about the other ingredients you ask? Well, let’s list it all out so we know what we’re working with here!

We’ll need garlic cloves, leek stalk, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, vegetable broth, and cornstarch. These ingredients are for the stir-fry sauce. Of course, we will also need baby bok choy, vegetable oil in order to fry our bok choy. Last, for our garlic fried rice, we’ll need long-grain rice, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper.

Now you might be wondering, how in the world am I supposed to turn these ingredients into Stir-Fried Bok Choy with Garlic Fried Rice? The answer can be found in our Bok Choy Stir Fry with Garlic Fried Rice Recipe. And as always, now that we’ve learned about what goes into our recipe of the week, it’s time for the fun part! Let’s crawl through the muddy, obscure, and sometimes strange… history of Bok Choy!

HISTORY OF BOK CHOY

Did you know that Bok Choy contains a compound known as glucosinolate? This compound is the reason why plants like bok choy are pungent. And in 2014 research was underway in order to asses possible protective properties of glucosinolates. Wow! In other words, eat your cabbage!

Bok choy has many names. It can often confuse cooks like us, or gardeners because everyone is going around calling it a different name! Here are some names it’s called just so we don’t get confused: Chinese cabbage, Chinese celery, Chinese mustard, spoon cabbage and more, unfortunately.

How long ago was cabbage first discovered? Well, archeologists have discovered 6,000-year-old Chinese cabbage seeds in China’s Yellow River Valley. And through all that time, it still remains one of the most important vegetables in all of Asia!

Although bok choy is sometimes called Chinese celery, don’t be tricked, it is a member of the cabbage family! And although bok choy is originally from Asia, it is cultivated in California and parts of Asia.

Like we said above, bok choy is super healthy for you. In fact, it’s packed with vitamins A and C. One cup of it provides more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance of A, and almost two-thirds of C. Fantastic!

Alright y’all, you know what time it is? It’s time for our FUN FOOD FACTS!

TRIVIA (FUN FOOD FACTS!)

Question: True or False: Bok choy is sometimes called a “soup spoon”

Answer: True! This is because of the shape of its leaves.

Question: How long does it take to grow and harvest bok choy?

Answer: The cabbage takes about 2 months from planting to harvest and thrives best in mild weather.

Junior Chef Stars – The Premiere Cooking School for Kids and Teens

That’s all folks! We hope you enjoyed this week’s recipe as much as we did! With December finally here, get some help with holiday cooking by signing your child up for a Cooking Class! And remember, “Cooking is one of the great gifts you can give to those you love” – Ina Garten

To see a list of our upcoming classes, click here!