Nutty, crunchy and yes it’s slightly bitter…
Besides blooming flowers, sprouting green leaves, chirping birds and drizzling rain, another good thing about spring is that I get to see and buy a lot of variety of greens at farmers market or at regular grocery stores. The view of fresh greens itself is soothing and refreshing to my eyes. Every time I go to the farmers market, I get astonished to see new varieties of greens that I have never seen or tasted before. Last weekend, I came across rabe rapini which has vibrant green leaves with green buds which closely resembles to broccoli florets. I had no idea how it would taste nor its origin, yet I bought it as I love to try new veggies.
From Wiki, I learned that these greens are quite common in the cuisines of Southern Italy and China and are related to turnip family. It has a nutty, bitter and pungent flavor. I wasn’t that happy to read about the bitter part. Nevertheless, I did give it a whirl.
I stir fried the rabe rapini along with garlic, small onions and flavored it with soy sauce, finished it off with sesame seeds and peanuts. I wouldn’t say that it was totally bitter free, but the addition of brown sugar did help to cover up the bitterness to an extend. The truth is that it is a good source of Vitamin A, C, K, potassium, calcium and iron, may be this will encourage you to try this green.
Peanut Rabe Rapini Stir Fry
Ingredients:
- Olive oil- 2 tbsp
- Garlic, chopped- 3 cloves
- Dry Red whole chili, slightly crushed- 2
- Small onions, chopped- 6
- Rabe Rapini, washed thoroughly- a bunch
- Water- 3 tbsp
- Soy sauce, low sodium- 3 tbsp
- Brown sugar (optional)- 1 1/2 tsp
- Sesame seeds- 2 tbsp
- Peanuts, roasted- 1/4 cup
- Salt- if needed
Instruction
- Wash the rabe rapini thoroughly under running water and pat dry it.
- Place a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil.
- When the oil gets hot, add chopped garlic and saute till it is aromatic.
- Add dry red chili, saute for a second, add small onions and saute till it turns light golden in color.
- Add the rabe rapini, add water and cook covered for about 5 minutes.
- Open the lid, stir fry the greens, let the water dry out.
- Add soy sauce, stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add brown sugar and combine well.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds and roasted peanuts over it, stir fry for a minute.
- Serve warm as a side dish.
- Olive oil- 2 tbsp
- Garlic, chopped- 3 cloves
- Dry Red whole chili, slightly crushed- 2
- Small onions, chopped- 6
- Rabe Rapini, washed thoroughly- a bunch
- Water- 3 tbsp
- Soy sauce, low sodium- 3 tbsp
- Brown sugar (optional)- 1½ tsp
- Sesame seeds- 2 tbsp
- Peanuts, roasted- ¼ cup
- Salt- if needed
- Wash the rabe rapini thoroughly under running water and pat dry it.
- Place a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil.
- When the oil gets hot, add chopped garlic and saute till it is aromatic.
- Add dry red chili, saute for a second, add small onions and saute till it turns light golden in color.
- Add the rabe rapini, add water and cook covered for about 5 minutes.
- Open the lid, stir fry the greens, let the water dry out.
- Add soy sauce, stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add brown sugar and combine well.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds and roasted peanuts over it, stir fry for a minute.
- Serve warm as a side dish.
