Dry-Fried Garlic Scapes



My parents visited this weekend and we skipped the traditional 4th of July bbq fare. Instead, we served bbq pork spare ribs with an Asian-inspired sauce (whipped up on the fly by Chef D), vegetable fried rice, and a garlic scape dish that I have been dying to test-drive...


When I was in college, I studied abroad in Beijing, and when dining out with friends, we often ordered a really simple green bean dish called Gan Bian Si Ji Dou. It's green beans, dry-fried, so the skin's blistering and a little crispy. They're salty and a little spicy. As I was staring at my scapes earlier on this week, and before I used some in my pesto recipes, I had an ah-ha! moment...These little scapes could stand in for the green beans in Gan Bian Si Ji Dou. So, I researched recipes, devised my own version and gave it a whirl. The result? Worth making again. And when scape season is over, use green beans.

Dry-Fried Garlic Scapes
by Nicole
Serves 2 to 4 as a side dish

You'll Need:
  • a wok 
  • paper towels
  • 3 tablespoons peanut or sesame oil 
  • 1/2 lb garlic scapes, chopped to approx. 2-inch lengths (or green beans)
  • (2 tbsp fresh chopped garlic, but ONLY when using green beans.
  • 2 tbsp minced, fresh ginger 
  • 1 tablespoon preserved, spicy pickled radish (found at an Asian grocery), chopped 
  • 6 dried red chilis 
  • 1 teaspoon sugar 
  • salt to taste

Heat oil in a wok until just beginning to smoke. Add scapes and stir-fry by continually moving scapes, about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften and outsides begin to blister (Do not stop tossing/stirring, as they will burn). Lay scapes on paper towels to dry. The paper towels will absorb the excess oil.

Add a small drizzle of oil and add ginger, preserved radish, and red chilis (and garlic), cooking until fragrant, approx 1 minute. Return scapes to wok, add sugar and stir until well-combined. Salt to taste. Serve while hot.

2 comments:

  1. where'd you get that fantastic wok? It looks like one straight from China!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think it's actually from a store in Chinatown in NYC...

    ReplyDelete

 

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