SWEET AND SOUR STIR-FRIED RADISHES WITH THEIR GREENS

Sweet and Sour Stir-Fried Radishes With Their Greens image

The bitterness of radish greens pairs wells with a sweet-and-sour sauce in this stir-fry. We always toss out radish greens, but we shouldn't. They are as nutritious as any green, and they have a pleasantly bitter flavor that is very much like that of turnip greens, which are a close relative. The bitterness works very well against a sweet and sour stir-fry sauce. The radishes should be barely cooked. This is a great dish for large, colorful breakfast radishes. The big bunches I get at my farmers' market weigh a pound, sometimes a little more. Use 2 bunches if yours are smaller.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 4m

Yield Serves 3 to 4 as a side dish

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 generous bunch large radishes, with greens (about 1 pound total), or 2 smaller bunches
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
2 tablespoons chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon peanut, canola, sunflower, or grape seed oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 bunch scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Steps:

Cut away greens from radishes and trim off bottoms of the stems. Wash in 2 changes of water and spin dry. Chop coarsely. Trim away tips of radishes and quarter lengthwise if large, cut in half if small.
In a small bowl or measuring cup combine soy sauce, vinegar, agave nectar or honey, and stock or water. Have all ingredients within arm's length of your burner.
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Add oil to wok or pan and swirl to coat sides, then add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add white parts of scallions and stir-fry for 30 seconds to a minute. Add radish greens, salt and pepper and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, until they wilt, and stir in radishes. Stir-fry for 1/2 minute and add soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for a minute more, then stir in ilantro and scallion greens, stir together for a few seconds, add cornstarch slurry and stir until vegetables are glazed (less than 30 seconds). Remove from heat and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 67, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 8 grams, Fat 4 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 251 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams