So after posting our fourth kabocha squash recipe last time around, I figure that it is time that we spend some time using ingredients that haven’t been featured so much. This time we’re using miso, which will only be the [checks past posts]… um… fourth time we’ve posted about it…. BUT! We’ve also got Shanghai Choi and umeboshi in the ingredients list this time, neither of which we’ve featured before.
Shanghai Choi is a variety of Baby Bok Choi, notable for having pale green stalks and a milder flavor (some stores don’t distinguish between the two, so if you run across something labeled as Baby Bok Choi that has green stems instead of white, it is most likely Shanghai Choi). Umeboshi are tiny pickled Japanese plums. They are very salty and are mainly used as a savory condiment (not as a sweet treat, as Chele learned the hard way when she first brought some home on a whim some ways back).
Like many of our recipes, the one we are sharing today was born out of bringing something home on a whim with only a vague idea of what we wanted to do with it. Back in January, Chele and I were out shopping for what we planned to make for our annual get together to watch the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. While making my trademarked Compulsive Produce Check, I ran across a bundle of nice-looking Shanghai Choi and tossed them in the cart for little reason beyond how nice they looked.
By the time race day rolled around, I had recalled seeing this recipe for miso-braised mustard greens some time earlier. While I wasn’t quite sold on the mix of flavors they had assembled there, I very much liked the idea of braising my Shanghai Choi with miso. Since most of the basics of Japanese cooking have become staples in my kitchen, I knew exactly what to swap in to get the flavor profile I was after: mirin and cooking sake. But it was a last-minute decision to add some umeboshi to the mix that took this one over the top. I’ve been keeping umeboshi on hand for well over a year now, and normally eat them as a condiment atop a bowl of rice and a little smoked salmon. But I had also experimented a little with blending them into miso to make a sauce, and thought this might be a good time to play with that combo again.
And I was right. These Shanghai Choi were such a hit that they vanished from the pan within minutes and had people come back around wishing there were more (Chele’s husband Chris was more than happy to get into the new batch we made for our photo shoot). Give these a try the next time you are looking for a quick, flavor-packed side dish. The ingredients might seem a little exotic to anyone who isn’t versed in Japanese cooking, but everything used here should be readily available at most Asian markets, and even in some mainstream supermarkets. Just make sure to pick up enough for a few batches, because these will disappear faster than you can make them.
Ume-Miso Braised Shanghai Choy
Equipment
- Dutch oven, braising dish, or similar stovetop-safe pan with a tight-fitting lid.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs oil
- 10-12 Shanghai Choi (or Baby Bok Choi)
- 2 Tbs white miso
- 3 umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums)
- ¼ cup cooking sake (aka. ryorishi)
- 2 Tbs mirin
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Wash Shanghai Choi in cold water and pat dry. Slice each head in half lengthwise. Set aside.
- Remove and discard pits from umeboshi. Mash, puree, or finely mince the fruit.
- In a small bowl, mix together umeboshi, miso, sake, and mirin until completely combined.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or braising dish over medium heat. Add Shanghai Choi and saute lightly for a minute or two.
- Pour in miso mixture and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes).
Notes
- Shanghai Choi is a variety of Baby Bok Choi that differs from the standard variety in having pale green stems (versus pure white in Bok Choy) and a milder flavor. It is regularly available at most Asian markets as well as some mainstream supermarkets. Here in the Chicago area, we get ours at H Mart, Mitsuwa, and Tony’s Fresh Market. If you can’t find it, substitute with standard Baby Bok Choy.
- Umeboshi are small Japanese plums (“ume”) that have been pickled with salt, vinegar, and red shiso (perilla) leaf (which gives them their striking red color). Look for them in the refrigerated cases at Asian markets along side the other types of pickles. Their flavor, texture, and presentation is quite unique, so there really are no good substitutes for them. If you can’t get them locally, you should be able to order them online
- Be sure to buy pickled umeboshi, and not dried (especially if you are ordering online). Dried umeboshi won’t work in this recipe. I have also seen jars of umeboshi paste for sale – I imagine that could be used here, but I haven’t tried it myself.
