Chinese Stir-Fried Malabar Spinach

(tsuru murasaki)

INGREDIENTS

14 stems Malabar spinach
175 gm (ca. 6 oz) Maitake mushrooms
150 gm (5.29 oz) thinly sliced beef
1 large garlic clove
2 T. sesame oil
100 ml (0.42 cups) water
50 ml (0.21 cups) cooking sake
1 T. chicken soup stock granules
1 T. oyster sauce
½ tsp. sugar
1 T. potato starch with 3 T. water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mince the garlic, shred the mushrooms, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Combine.
2. Separate the leaves from the stems of the Malabar spinach.
3. Diagonally slice the stems.
4. Put sesame oil and garlic in frying pan, heat at med high until aroma has released. Add the meat. When the meat is halfway cooked, add the mushrooms and spinach stems, saute.
5. Once the sautéed ingredients have cooked through, add the leaves, saute until tender (about 2 min.) then pour the seasonings in a circular motion and toss.
6. Push the sautéed ingredients to the side of the pan, add the potato starch dissolved in water, briskly mixing until the sauce thickens, even coating the ingredients, then serve.
The method and seasonings can be used with different vegetables, e.g. cauliflower, yard long beans.