Thai-Style Mixed Vegetables
Seasonings take center stage in this quick and easy Thai stir-fry dish. If you need to use regular basil in place of holy basil, try adding a small amount of freshly ground black or white pepper for extra flavor.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 to 4
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 small fresh red Thai chilies
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar, or to taste, divided
- 1 cup chopped bok choy
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 cup baby corn, halved
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- ¼ cup chopped holy basil leaves
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chilies. Stir-fry for 20 seconds, then add the broccoli.
Sprinkle ½ teaspoon sugar over the mixture. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the bok choy. Stir in the salt.
Stir-fry until the vegetables turn a darker green and are tender but still crisp (2 to 3 minutes).
Add the plum tomatoes. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the baby corn. Stir-fry for another minute, then add the water. One at a time, stir in the fish sauce, oyster sauce, and the rice wine or dry sherry. Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste.
Add the holy basil into the wok or skillet. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until the leaves have just wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve hot.
What Is Baby Corn?
As the name implies, baby corn are tiny ears of corn that are picked before they have fully matured. Their miniature length (2 to 3 inches) makes baby corn perfect for stir-frying. When using canned baby corn, be sure to rinse it under running water to remove any “tinny” taste.
