ASIAN SALAD

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 heads baby bok choy, cleaned and sliced
• 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup croutons

Directions
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, and sesame seeds in a small bowl, then set aside.
Toss together the romaine, bok choy, carrot, almonds, and croutons in a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to coat, and serve immediately.

*There are many variations of this recipe. We chose to add fresh ginger, mandarin oranges, and chow mein noodles while eliminating the sesame seeds, almonds, and croutons when we sampled this in the market. Recipe from www.allrecipes.com.

BABY BOK CHOY STIR FRY

Ingredients
• 4 bunches baby bok choy (basically, 1 bunch per person)
• 2 slices ginger
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• A few drops sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying

Preparation
Wash the baby bok choy and drain. Separate the stalks and leaves. Cut the stalk diagonally and cut the leaves across.

Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add ginger and stir-fry briefly, for about 30 seconds, until the ginger is aromatic. Add the bok choy, adding the stalks first, and then the leaves. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, and salt, and stir-fry on high heat for 1 minute.

Add the water, cover the wok and simmer for about 2 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil and serve. Serves 4.

BRAISED BABY BOK CHOY

Ingredients
• 2 pounds baby bok choy
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

Preparation
Trim the base of the bok choy, then chop off the leaves. Cut the base in half lengthwise, then cut the halves crosswise on a diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Cut the leaves crosswise on a diagonal into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips.

Place a large wok or a pot large enough to hold all the bok choy over medium heat. When it is hot, add the olive oil and rotate the wok or pot a bit to coat it evenly. When the oil is hot, add the onion and stir-fry until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bok choy and season with the salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and serve hot.
Serves 4 to 6.