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Lucky 8 Stir-Fry

By Hsiao-Ching Chou

4.2

(3)

stirfried vegetables including mushrooms celery and snow peas

Eight is a lucky number in the Chinese culture, especially at Lunar New Year. The Chinese word for “eight” is a homophone for prosperity, so numbers with consecutive eights in them represent “big money.” This mixed vegetable dish takes its inspiration from Buddhist vegetarian cooking and can include any combination of ingredients that represent good luck, prosperity, happiness, family wholeness, and longevity. The ingredients also should have contrasting-yet-balanced flavors and textures. You can serve this on any day of the week—especially when it’s Lunar New Year.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup bean sprouts
3 inner stalks celery hearts, cut on the bias (¼ inch) thick
4 to 6 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 2 to 3 hours
1 medium carrot, cut into (¼-inch-thick) strips
½ cup dried lily flowers, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
½ cup dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and cut into (¼-inch-thick) strips
1 cup sliced Chinese cabbage or baby bok choy
8 snow peas, trimmed and cut on the bias into (½-inch-wide) pieces
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, sherry, or dry Marsala wine
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
⅛ teaspoon white pepper powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat a wok over high heat until wisps of smoke rise from the surface. Swirl in the vegetable oil and heat for a few seconds until it starts to shimmer. 

    Step 2

    Add all of the vegetables: bean sprouts, celery, shiitake mushrooms, carrot, dried lily flowers, wood ear mushrooms, Chinese cabbage or baby bok choy, and snow peas. Stir-fry for about 90 seconds and then add the soy sauce, water, and Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the sesame oil and white pepper powder. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds more to combine. 

    Step 3

    Turn off the heat. Taste for seasoning. If you think it needs a pinch of salt, add the kosher salt and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving dish.

Cover of Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food featuring featuring dishes of dumplings, greens, and noodles
Excerpted from Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food: Deliciously Doable Ways to Cook Greens, Tofu, and Other Plant-Based Ingredients by Hsiao-Ching Chou, copyright © 2021. Published by Sasquatch Books. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
TagsStir-FryChineseEast AsianAsianSproutVegetableCeleryShiitake MushroomMushroomBok ChoyLeafy GreensCarrotRoot VegetableMainSideDinnerDairy FreeVeganVegetarianQuickFryWokLunar New YearCookbooks

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