Some of the best side dishes are also the simplest.
This stir-fried zucchini is one of those dishes. It uses regular garden-grown zucchini with a few vegetables and simple seasonings. There is no special sauce or complicated cooking method.
In a Korean meal, a vegetable dish like this is usually served as a side dish, not as the main meal. A small serving can sit next to a bowl of warm rice and other dishes.
The flavor is mild, savory, and a little nutty from the sesame oil and sesame seeds.
What You Need
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1/2 onion
- A small amount of carrot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 green onion
- Cooking oil
- About 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
- Red pepper flakes
- A little more salt, if needed
You do not need a long list of ingredients for this dish. Most of them are common vegetables that are easy to keep in the kitchen.
Preparing the Vegetables
Start by washing the zucchini.
A Cold Night Is Coming to Our Calgary Garden
Slice it into thin strips, about 2 mm thick. Keeping the slices thin helps the zucchini cook quickly and evenly.
Put the sliced zucchini in a bowl and sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of salt over it.
Let it sit for about 10 minutes. About halfway through, gently turn the zucchini so the salt reaches the pieces evenly.
While the zucchini is resting, slice the onion and carrot into thin strips.
Gently squeeze the water out of the salted zucchini.
Mince the garlic and slice the green onion.
Now everything is ready for the pan.
Stir-Frying the Zucchini
Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
Add a little cooking oil and then add the minced garlic.
Next, add the zucchini, onion, and carrot.
Stir-fry the vegetables over medium heat. Move them around the pan from time to time so they cook evenly.
When the vegetables are almost tender, add the green onion.
Continue cooking for a short time until the vegetables are done.
Taste a little. If it needs more seasoning, add a small amount of salt.
Since the zucchini was already salted, add the extra salt slowly. It is easy to add more later, but much harder to fix a dish that is too salty.
The Final Touch
When the vegetables are fully cooked, turn off the heat.
Add a little sesame oil, sprinkle in some sesame seeds and red pepper flake .
Give everything a gentle stir.
The sesame oil is added at the end so its warm, nutty smell stays noticeable.
That is all there is to it.
A Simple Side Dish for the Table
This is not a heavy or strongly seasoned dish. That is part of its charm.
The soft zucchini, sweet onion, small amount of carrot, garlic, and green onion make a light vegetable side dish. The sesame oil adds just enough flavor without covering up the taste of the vegetables.
Serve it with warm rice and other dishes for a simple Korean-style meal.
It also works nicely beside grilled meat, eggs, soup, or other vegetable dishes.
A Few Things I Pay Attention To
I like to keep the zucchini slices thin and similar in size. When the pieces are close in size, they cook more evenly.
I also avoid cooking the zucchini for too long. It should be tender, but it does not need to fall apart.
The short salting step is helpful, too. It seasons the zucchini before it goes into the pan and helps keep the finished dish from becoming too watery.
Most importantly, taste the vegetables before adding more salt. The amount of salt needed can change depending on the size of the zucchini and how much moisture it has.
Easy Food Can Still Feel Special
A meal does not always need a complicated main dish and a long list of ingredients.
Sometimes a warm bowl of rice, a few simple side dishes, and freshly cooked vegetables are enough.
This stir-fried zucchini is a small part of the meal, but it adds color, vegetables, and a gentle sesame flavor to the table.
It is the kind of everyday dish that is easy to make, easy to share, and easy to enjoy.
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