I’m not a fan of vegetables. There, I said it. It astounds me to no end to find myself surviving despite the serious lack of greens in my diet. This stems from my childhood when I’d associate leafy greens that I was forced to eat, say like bok choy and Chinese kale, with absolute bitterness. Growing up, I avoided vegetables whenever I could and lived on meat like a born-carnivore (but with an appetite for chocolate and cheese).
There were a few changes eventually. I began to appreciate onions and garlic the moment I picked up cooking. The only time I’d have vegetables on my plate would be whenever they’re paired with other delicious non-greens. Sweet peppers and zucchinis with roasted chicken? Sure. Exotic herbs thrown in the pasta? No problem. But salad on its own? If I have a choice, I’d skip that by a mile.
I’d never encounter problems sustaining without greens until I came back from my recent vacation. My body felt parched and my throat was constantly burning. I replenished myself with water and ate green apples to no end. For once, I couldn’t bear the thought of having meat or pasta at all. I listened to the way my body was working and it seemed obvious that something was lacking. I could probably have gotten away with this in my twenties but trust me when I say that our age really does catch up with our vessel.
Nowadays, I tend to buy heaps of vegetables alongside my much loved chicken legs and rump steaks. I have my fragrant long-grain rice steamed over hot fire instead of boiling pasta with cheese. For dinners, I make sure to prepare at least one stir-fried dish with loads of greens, from asparagus to cauliflower to the standard green beans. When mixed with wild mushrooms, walnuts or crisp tofu, these veggies make my taste buds fathom the fact that they don’t always taste bitter or bland. This particular recipe that I learnt, for example, calls for some lime juice that adds an extra zing to a plateful of otherwise bland greens. At the end of the day, it’s always about taming the inner child in you.
Mixed-Green Stir Fry with Fragrant Thai Basil
What You Need
2 spoonful of vegetable oil / a cup of broccoli florets / ½ coffee cup of snake beans / 1 sliced sweet onion / a cup of finely shredded cabbage / strips of green capsicum / ¼ coffee cup of fresh Thai basil / 2 tablespoons of lime juice / 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar
How To Make
Heat the wok and swirl the oil around until it coats the side. Fry the broccoli and snake beans for a few minutes until they’re the brightest green. Add sweet onion, cabbage and capsicum until all vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar with lime juice until dissolved. Drizzle this sweet-sour mixture over the cooked vegetables and toss them with the Thai basil. Serve with a bowl of steaming jasmine rice.
