1 tablespoon soy sauce (low-sodium if desired)
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
¼ teaspoon ground pepper, preferably white pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 pound Swiss chard, preferably rainbow chard, stems trimmed, washed in two changes of water and cut crosswise in 1/2-inch strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in 1/4-by-2-inch julienne 1 cup julienne
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions or minced red onion
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro (optional)
Cooked quinoa, brown or red rice, or rice noodles for serving
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil. Combine the salt, pepper and sugar in another small bowl. Have all the ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two in the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting it back and forth. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the chard, and stir-fry for two minutes, until the leaves wilt. Add the red pepper and spring onion or red onion. Turn the heat to high, and stir-fry for one minute, or until the pepper begins to soften. Add the salt, pepper and sugar. Toss together, and add the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for two to three minutes until the chard leaves are tender and the stems and red peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in the cilantro, and serve over cooked quinoa, rice or rice noodles.
Thank you New York Times Cooking for this fantastic recipe!