Tat Soi is a dark green leafy vegetable in the Brassicaceae family. Like other crucifers, it contains phytochemicals that can act as powerful antioxidants, detoxify carcinogenic substances, induce cancer cell death, and block the formation of new blood vessels necessary for the proliferation and metastasis of malignant tumors.
Boiling cruciferous vegetables like tat soi can destroy the beneficial compounds, so always eat it raw (unless you have thyroid problems) or cook it quickly (lightly steam or sauté).
With a texture similar to bok choy and a cabbage-like flavor, tat soi is a healthy addition to salads, soups and stir fry. Here I sauté it with a simple sauce that you could toss with any leafy green vegetable. If you love fresh ginger, add the full teaspoon. To make a more mild sauce, use half that amount.
If you don't have tat soi, you can substitute another dark green leafy vegetable, like spinach, chard or beet greens.
Zest and juice of 2 large organic tangerines, or substitute oranges
1/2 to 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp tamari
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing
1 bunch tat soi, cleaned, stems and leaves separated
2 cloves garlic
Warm the tangerine juice, zest and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to appear. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens and reduces by half, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the tamari. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and set aside.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, stir and cook until it becomes aromatic (less than a minute). Do not burn the garlic. Add the tat soi stems, toss to coat them in the oil and cook until they start to become tender, just a few minutes. Add the green leaves and continue cooking until they have wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Pour the tangerine-ginger sauce mixture over the tat soi and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
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