Recipe: Quick and easy Indonesian vegetable stir fry, Cap Cai

Cap Cai consists of a medley of vegetables including mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, beans, broccoli, cauliflowers, snap peas and seasoned simply with oyster sauce, salt, garlic, ginger and white pepper.

It is almost impossible for most people who dislike vegetables to be able to eat even a portion without pulling a face, however if cooked properly even the most veggie packed dishes can be the most delicious. One such dish is the Indonesian vegetable stir fry dish called Cap Cai that consists of a medley of vegetables including mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, beans, broccoli, cauliflowers, peppers, snap peas and seasoned simply with oyster sauce, salt, garlic, ginger and white pepper. The thick gravy of this vegetarian dish is perfect with sticky rice or rice noodles and one can even add chicken, prawns, fish and even tofu for some more protein. Check out this quick and easy recipe for a delicious excuse to eat your veggies.

Cap Cai (Instagram)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chicken stock or water

2 Tbsp cooking oil

100 gram boneless skinless chicken thigh thinly sliced (optional, can use tofu too)

6 large prawns peeled and deveined (optional)

50 gram sugar snap peas

10 large broccoli/cauliflower florets boiled in water but still firm

5-6 cremini mushrooms sliced

2 medium carrots thinly sliced

1 bunch yu choy/chinese broccoli washed and roughly cut into large pieces

1 large tomato cut into wedges

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1- inch ginger peeled and finely chopped

4 stalks green onion separate into white and green parts

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1/4 tsp sugar

Salt and white pepper powder to taste

2 Tbsp corn starch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water more if needed

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat wok or large skillet over high heat. Add cooking oil. Add ginger, garlic and only white parts of green onion and stir fry until they release their fragrances. After this add your chicken or tofu and sautee for a minute.

Add your vegetables except for the tomatoes as they will cook faster. If you are adding shrimp wait to add it towards the end or it will overcook and become rubbery. Add tomato in the end and stir fry everything, add seasoning towards the end and mix it all up.

Add in chicken stock, cover with a lid and let it simmer for about 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning as per your taste, add some of the green onion and the cornstarch mix to thicken your gravy. Make sure all the ingredients are coated with the sauce, serve immediately with rice or noodles as per your preference. Enjoy with your loved ones!

(Recipe courtesy What to Cook Today)