I absolutely enjoyed pulling together a stir fried vegetable dish for lunch today.  As previously mentioned there are a few cupboard essentials when wanting to make Chinese food taste slightly more authentic (rice wine, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil) and today I want to add another one to the list – spiced black rice vinegar.   I was in my local Waitrose earlier today and was browsing the specialty oils and vinegar aisle when I spotted three combinations I haven’t come across before – apple balsamic vinegar, apply & cranberry balsamic vinegar and black rice vinegar.   I picked up all three and used the black rice vinegar in the stir fry.  I am looking forward to using the other two in a salad vinaigrette soon.

What do I need to make it?

• Handful of green beans cut in half
• 2 stalks of celery chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 green pepper cubed
• 2 carrots chopped into wedges
• 6 large closed cup mushrooms quartered
• 8 florets of broccoli
• 1 bunch of choi sum (each stalk cut into 3-4 pieces)
• 3 sprigs of spring onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1″ piece of ginger minced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red chili
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• Handful coriander leaves chopped
• 2 tsp Shaosin wine
• 3 tsp dark soya sauce
• 2 tsp spicy black rice vinegar
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbsp vegetable/sunflower oil
• Dash of salt to taste

How much will I make?

Serves 4 as a side dish

How do I make it?

Heat wok and pour oil in once hot.  Add ginger and garlic mince and stir for 30 seconds before adding the crushed red chili flakes.   Stir for another minute before adding green pepper, celery, carrot, beans, mushroom and broccoli.  Stir for five to eight minutes before adding the choi sum (choi sum only takes a couple of minutes to cook).  Then add the rice wine, vinegar, soya sauce and white pepper.  Adjust the seasoning before garnishing with spring onions and fresh coriander.   Serve hot with rice or noodles.