Southern Stir Fry With Turnips and Greens
Recipe Submitted by – Andy Garr
In my continuous effort to bring you the finest recipes from around the world, I submit Southern Stir Fry with Turnips and Greens, from my friend Andy Garr. Andy and I met in high school playing basketball. He moved and lives in Texas and posts a ton of interesting stuff on FaceBook.
It appears that Andy and I have the love of many interests in common. Food among the most obvious. Thanks for sending me this recipe Andy – jughandle
The Back Story
The Mississippi River Delta, stretches for one hundred miles along the banks of the mighty Mississippi. Extending eastward fifty miles across the state, it is among the richest agricultural regions in the world.
After the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves no longer worked the cotton fields, Chinese men migrated to the Delta in search of work. As is the case today, many intended not to make the Delta their permanent home, only to earn money and send it home. When they arrived, they found hard labor and low pay.
To achieve economic independence, these new immigrants opened grocery stores, selling to the black freedmen, formerly whose only choice were the plantation stores. The first Chinese grocery store in Mississippi likely appeared as early as the 1870s.
For generations Chinese immigrants continued to come to Mississippi Delta. They joined with their extended families and incorporating their cooking into the local cuisine. This recipe for stir-fried turnips and greens is one such dish. -excerpt from SECRETS OF THE SOUTHERN TABLE © 2018 by Virginia Willis.
Southern Stir-Fry With Turnips And Greens
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) chicken stock homemade chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp (1 tablespoon) sherry
- 2 Tbsp (2 tablespoons) canola oil
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) country ham cut into small dice
- 2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic very finely chopped or pressed
- 2 Tbsp (2 Tbsp) ginger peeled and cut into julienne strips
- 1/2 Cup (80 g) small sweet onion thinly sliced crosswise
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) turnips 4 small or 2 medium turnips about 4 ounces, peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) kosher salt more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) Black Pepper freshly ground, more or less to taste
- 4 Cups (160 g) greens Chopped about 6 ounces
- 2 tsp (2 teaspoons) honey local honey is best and is optional
Instructions
- Stir together the stock and sherry. Set aside.
- Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or large iron skillet over very high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan.
- Add the oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering.
- Cook the ham until the fat is rendered, about 30 seconds
- Throw in the garlic and ginger and cook just for 10 seconds.
- Start stirring and add the onion stirring continuously, for 1 minute.
- If you are using a wok move any ingredients up the sides if they start to brown too much. Don't burn anything.'
- Add the turnips and stir-fry for another minute or two, then season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the stock mixture and toss together quickly with the vegetables.
- Mix in the greens and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are crisp and/or tender—3 to 5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle with honey, if you choose, and serve immediately
Other Southern Recipes
Southern Onion and Broccoli Cornbread
Beverly’s Southern Cornbread Recipe
Southern Fried Chicken Recipe from Ella Ween Myer
Perfect Hush Puppies The Georgia Way