Sunday, May 23, 2010

Chayote (Chokos), Cabbage with Willow Mushrooms

I said TWO renditions. I re-constructed a new dish a week later, using the same three ingredients without any "guilty" egg this time. No more egg-drop soup, not even stoup. Since I really like the flavors combination of the first rendition, back to comfy-fry spelled deliciousness ...TAKE TWO! *ka cha*


Thanks to some of my readers in the Chayote (Chokos) post that I learn more about chayote (chokos). I did not know chayote (chokos) is often used in the Philippines. I need to find out how chayote (chokos) is used as an ingredient in Filipino dishes (cuisine). In this dish, I found that Chayote (Chokos) and Cabbage are perfectly suited for each other. You know how unconsciously you have that on hindsight. Yes. It's like you would not imagine frying Cabbage and Okra, served in the same plate. But chayote and cabbage - yes, can be possibly married.


Chayote...looks like a clenched fist?


Stir-Fry Chayote and Cabbage with Willow (Tea-Tree) Mushrooms
Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic, finely minced; 2cm-knob ginger, finely minced; 2 tablespoons of ground beef; drizzle of Chinese cooking wine; 1 chayote, thinly sliced; 2 handfuls of shredded cabbage; 4 willow (tea tree) mushrooms (option); salt and white pepper to taste; drizzle of sesame oil

Directions: Heat some oil in a pot, add in ginger and garlic and fry till fragrant. Add the beef, breaking beef into small bits while frying in the pot. Drizzle of cooking wine around the edge of the pot to sizzle the beef bits. When cooking wine almost evaporates, add chayote and cabbage and fry with the beef for about 5 minutes. Then add willow mushrooms and mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoons water, salt and white pepper to taste, mix well, cover the pot and allow simmer at low heat (about 10 minutes) till chayote and cabbage turns tender. Turn off heat. Drizzle 2-3 drops of sesame oil before serving for aroma.


This dish definitely has more bite due to the tender-yet-crunchy cabbage, chayote and willow mushrooms. The beef flavor has subtly been absorbed by the vegetables, so while you chew on the vegetables, you taste the natural sweetness and a tinge of savory beef. See what you can accomplish without oyster sauce? Wonders.

It is my first stir-fry Friday Firsts / DinnerAtChristinas.com of chayote (chokos) with cabbage and it works beautifully ! And also to Side Dish Showdown - Anything Goes, during the month of May at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice.

Which 2 (or more) vegetables are perfected suited (cooked) together OR...are there any 2 vegetables that may not get along AT ALL?

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