Polenta might not be the first grain-based dish you think of to season with ginger, but this easy and quick Spicy Ginger Polenta Bowl from Vegan Bowls by Zsu Dever is delicious. The ginger imparts its flavor to the polenta and the simple sauce complements the bok choy and chickpeas.
Spicy Ginger Polenta Bowl with Bok Choy And Chickpeas
Serves 2 to 3
Polenta
- 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons polenta
- 3/4 cup unsweetened plain nondairy milk, divided
- Sea salt and black pepper
Chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, patted dry
Bok choy
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 10 ounces baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
Sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
Preparation
Polenta: Heat the oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir in the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, ginger, red pepper flakes, and salt. Increase heat to high and bring to boil, covered. Stir in the polenta with a whisk and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk and simmer over low heat until the polenta is tender, 10 to 15 minutes, partly covered. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of milk, if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Chickpeas: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and season with salt. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Bok Choy: Return the skillet to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. Add the oils to the hot skillet, then add the bok choy, cut side down, and cook until lightly charred and crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the bok choy from the skillet and set aside on a work surface. Chop if desired.
Sauce: Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add the oil, then stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook until the garlic is golden. Carefully add the vegetable broth and tamari. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until the sauce reduces by one-quarter, about 4 minutes. To serve, spoon the polenta in bowls and top with the bok choy and chickpeas. Serve immediately.
Soy-free option: Substitute coconut aminos and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt for the tamari.
Quick tips: Mince the ginger for both the polenta and the sauce at the same time. Mince the garlic for both the polenta and the sauce at the same time; you will need 7 cloves. Clean and halve the bok choy while the chickpeas cook.
Recipe from Vegan Bowls, copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.
Printable Spicy Ginger Polenta Bowl with Bok Choy And Chickpeas recipe:
- Polenta
- 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ¼ to ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons polenta
- ¾ cup unsweetened plain nondairy milk, divided
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, patted dry
- Bok choy
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 10 ounces baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- Sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
- Polenta: Heat the oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir in the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, ginger, red pepper flakes, and salt. Increase heat to high and bring to boil, covered. Stir in the polenta with a whisk and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in ½ cup of milk and simmer over low heat until the polenta is tender, 10 to 15 minutes, partly covered. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ¼ cup of milk, if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- Chickpeas: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and season with salt. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Bok Choy: Return the skillet to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. Add the oils to the hot skillet, then add the bok choy, cut side down, and cook until lightly charred and crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the bok choy from the skillet and set aside on a work surface. Chop if desired.
- Sauce: Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add the oil, then stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook until the garlic is golden. Carefully add the vegetable broth and tamari. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until the sauce reduces by one-quarter, about 4 minutes. To serve, spoon the polenta in bowls and top with the bok choy and chickpeas. Serve immediately.
