Mom’s Recipe: Fragrant Stir-Fried Colt’s Foot Stems
Colt’s Foot Stems Stir-Fry with a Touch of Nostalgia
This recipe brings back memories of my mother’s cooking! Try making this slightly bitter yet aromatic stir-fried colt’s foot stems at home. It’s a delightful side dish that pairs perfectly with rice.
Main Ingredients
- Boiled Colt’s Foot Stems, 500g
- Minced Garlic, 1 Tbsp
- Onion, 50g (about 1/4 medium)
- Green Onion, 10cm (about 1/4 stalk)
- Fish Sauce, 1 Tbsp
- Salt, 1 tsp
- Perilla Seed Powder, 2 Tbsp
- Water, 100ml
- Perilla Oil, 1 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Cut the boiled colt’s foot stems into bite-sized pieces, about 5cm in length.
Step 2
For thicker stems, slice them in half lengthwise to improve texture.
Step 3
Thinly slice the onion. The sweetness of the onion will help balance the slight bitterness of the colt’s foot stems.
Step 4
Finely chop the green onion. This will add a fresh aroma to the dish.
Step 5
Heat a pan over medium heat without adding any oil. Add the prepared colt’s foot stems and sliced onions to the pan.
Step 6
Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly and their moisture begins to evaporate. This step helps to reduce any potential bitterness.
Step 7
Pour 100ml of water into the pan. Add 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, and 1 tsp salt. Adjust seasoning as needed. You can substitute soy sauce or Korean soup soy sauce for fish sauce if preferred.
Step 8
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the vegetables.
Step 9
Once the flavors have melded, sprinkle in 2 Tbsp of perilla seed powder for a nutty and rich flavor.
Step 10
Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir-fry for another 5 minutes. You can cook with the lid on or off, but be careful not to burn the perilla seed powder.
Step 11
Finally, add the chopped green onions and 1 Tbsp of perilla oil.
Step 12
Toss everything together quickly until just combined. This final quick stir-fry will finish the dish. Turn off the heat immediately after adding the green onions to preserve their fresh aroma.
Step 13
Enjoy your delicious stir-fried colt’s foot stems, reminiscent of homemade comfort food!
