Tamarind Turnip and Radish Greens

Need something to do with all those turnip and radish greens? Tamarind has got you covered.  A natural, unrefined source of sweetness, and sour, this delectable little fruit paste is going to cram a ton of flavor into these sharp greens, with very little effort on your part.

Head on over to your local Asian or Indian market, and grab a pack of Tamarind paste, and you can keep it in a zip-top bag in your fridge basically forever after.

But once you learn to work with fruit pastes, my guess is you'll never miss an opportunity to throw in some date or apricot paste to cheer up your dishes.

Serves 2, but can be easily doubled, go ahead and use all the greens from your turnip and radish bunches you *ahem* meant to toss into salads or compost ;)



What you'll use from your bag:
2-4 Turnips
4-6 Radishes
1 stem of spring garlic (or 2 scapes from last week)
Greens from at least 1 bunch of turnips and/or 2-3 bunches of radishes


What else you'll need:
2 Tbs Tamarind paste, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 Tbs Extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp red Miso paste

First, you'll heat your oil on Medium in a pan, and add the garlic
The cooking purists of the bunch will tell you to you should take your tamarind paste and liquid (in this case broth) and maybe even your miso paste and blend before heating.  That's not what I do, but don't let me stop you.  I heat the tamarind paste in the oil at the same pace with the garlic.  This makes a kind of sweet and garlicky bouillon that's bubbly and perfectly seasoned when you go to add the broth.  So, first heat the oil, then add the tamarind and garlic, let cook <1 minute and then add your broth, and stir or whisk vigorously to assist the tamarind to dissolve.

Then, you'll add your turnip greens
this sauté is pretty standard, except no need to cover, and definitely don't walk away as these wilt plenty fast.  Stir a few time to cover evenly, and these guys will get bright green and droop.

Now, add the miso paste

It will make your life easy to dole out the teaspoon of miso in two parts, and stir throughout.  The warm liquid will help the miso incorporate well.  Let the pot simmer for 30-45 seconds, and then take off of the heat.  Let stand about a minute to let the flavors sink in.  Serve with raw radishes and turnips, and don't forget to scoop out (deglaze , if you will) the pan and drizzle it on top!

Sesame Soba with Bok Choi and Chinese Broccoli

Soba is an earthy, traditionally gluten-free noodle, that is packed with anti-oxidant power from things like Manganese, and relatively low in carb while being high in fiber and protein, unlike our typical white refined pastas!

Bok Choi is the star of this show, providing bursts of fresh moisture, soft leaves, and a crunch, amidst the rich and creamy tahini sauce, while the meaty mushrooms satisfy our craving for a hearty bite.  Last but not least, the Chinese Broccoli (which likes to hide in the soba!) compliments these textures, adding a complex and nutrient dense element beneath the surface of the noodles.

Serves 4- Feel free to use all of the Choi from this shipment, or you can reserve some to steam or sauté on it's own with soy sauce, garlic and ginger.

What you'll use from your bag: 
Choi- 1/4 - 1/2 pound, halved with the base cut off
Chinese Broccoli - 1 plant, chopped into 2 inch long pieces
Spring Garlic - 2 stalks, chopped

What else you'll need:
Soba Noodles - 8-9 ounces (I used King Soba's Sweet Potato and Buckwheat)

Shitake Mushrooms - Sliced, fresh 1 8 oz pack, or 1 dry cup rehydrated
Tamari/Soy Sauce - 6 Tbs, 4 for the sautee and 2 reserved for the end
Rice Vinegar - 1 Tbs, in a pinch you may use white wine vinegar
Sesame Oil - 3 Tbs + 1.5 tsp,  may substitute avocado or safflower oil, but sesame is the best flavor
Tahini - 2 Tbs Tahini, one in the sautee, and one reserved for the end
Ginger - 1/2 tsp powder, or 1/2 inch fresh root minced
Vegetable broth - 1/3 cup, mushroom and onion broths especially work well here
Chinese 5 Spice Powder - 1/2 Tbs, in a pinch combine anise/fennel/tarragon, black pepper and cinnamon to a total of 1/2 Tbs to approximate the flavor
Toasted Sesame Seeds - For serving
Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp, optional



First, set the Noodle to Boil:
--12 cups of water, seasoned with salt and 1 tsp of oil. Bring to a boil and then add noodles, and return to boil, 4 minutes. Drain, and toss with 1/2 tsp oil and set aside.

Next, Prep your sautee:

Sautee mixture
4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Tahini
1/2 tsp or inch of Ginger
2 stalks Spring garlic, chopped

-- Heat the sautee pan or wok on medium heat. Whisk together the mixture vigorously and add to a hot pan. Once it bubbles at
the edges, add the mushrooms, and stir to coat. 2 minutes.

--Add 1/3 cup vegetable broth, and layer the choi and broccoli atop the liquid and cover, 2 minutes.  Stir mixture, and add 1/2 Tablespoon Chinese 5 Spice powder, and the optional cayenne pepper if desired.

--Once the Choi has wilted, and the broccoli has softened a bit, add in the noodles, another 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and a tablespoon of tahini.






Garnish with toasted Sesame seeds, and your favorite hot sauce (such as Sriracha) if desired!