Garlic Scape Stir Fry

I’m always excited to try a new ingredient, so when curly green stalks labeled as “garlic stems” showed up in my usual grocery store, I was intrigued. Apparently, these are more commonly referred to as garlic scapes and are the stalk of the garlic plant (growing above ground from the tasty garlic bulb we are familiar with underground). The taste is spicy and garlicky, but mellows out after a quick cook, and the texture is pleasantly crisp, similar to green beans. A stir fry made perfect sense to me for this unique ingredient, and I thought the salty dried shrimp and spicy sambal oelek (both ingredients you can find at most Asian groceries) complemented the scapes well. I’ll definitely be picking up more garlic scapes the next time I see them!

Garlic Scape Stir Fry
Yield: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp dried shrimp
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce*
• 1 Tbsp sambal oelek**
• 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1″ piece ginger, minced
• 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
• 1 lb garlic scapes, cut into 1-inch pieces

*As always, using a good-quality soy sauce is best – personally, I like Kimlan “Super Special” soy sauce – but you can also do okay with the low-sodium version of a more ubiquitous brand, such as Kikkoman. If you can’t eat gluten, make sure you’re using a gluten-free soy sauce.
**Adjust amount according to your spice tolerance.

Method:

1. In a small bowl, cover 2 Tbsp dried shrimp, and soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sambal oelek, and 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce, and set aside.
3. In a wok or large sautee pan, heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil over medium-high heat, then stir fry 2 – 4 cloves garlic, minced and 1″ piece ginger, minced until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Add the drained shrimp, and stir fry another 30 seconds or so.
5. Add 1/2 head cabbage, shredded, and stir fry until starting to soften, about 5 – 10 minutes.
6. Add 1 lb garlic scapes, cut into 1-inch pieces, and continue cooking until softened slightly, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the prepared sauce, taste, and add more soy sauce, if needed.