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Thai-Style Vegetable Stir-Fry with Garlic and Black Pepper

Thai-Style Vegetable Stir-Fry with Garlic and Black Pepper

We used components of an aromatic, flavor-packed Thai paste, typically used to season meat, to create a genuinely mouthwatering veggie bowl.

By Courtney HillJanuary 25, 2022

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

In the Thai kitchen, raak phak chee kratiem prik Thai is an aromatic, flavor-packed paste of garlic, black pepper and cilantro root. It often is used to season meat and seafood, but in this recipe we combine the ingredients (we substitute cilantro stems for hard-to-find roots) to add punch to a simple vegetable stir-fry. Napa cabbage and mushrooms provide meaty flavor, while snow peas offer color, sweetness and crunch. If you don’t have fish sauce or want to make the dish vegetarian, use an equal amount of low-sodium soy sauce.

Tip

Don’t stir the vegetables too often during the first 4 to 6 minutes of cooking. Infrequent stirring allows the vegetables to get a nice amount of charring to mimic the browning of cooking in a hot wok.

Ingredients
  • 1 ½

    tablespoons fish sauce

  • 2

    teaspoons packed light brown sugar

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 3

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 2

    tablespoons minced cilantro stems, plus ¼ cup lightly packed leaves, roughly chopped

  • 14

    ounce head napa cabbage, halved lengthwise, bottom 1 inch trimmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide pieces (about 7 cups)

  • 4

    ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced OR cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

  • 4

    ounces snow peas, trimmed OR 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

Step 1

In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, sugar and 1 teaspoon pepper. Whisk until the sugar dissolves, then set aside.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, cook the oil, garlic and cilantro stems, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the cabbage, mushrooms and peas, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to char and soften, 4 to 6 minutes.

Step 2

Working quickly, add the fish sauce mixture. Immediately cover the pan, reduce to medium and cook, occasionally shaking the pan without lifting the lid, for 2 minutes. Uncover, increase to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until the skillet is dry, about 2 minutes.

Step 3

Off heat, taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cilantro leaves.

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