Karl’s Leek and Bell Pepper with Dark Soy

I needed a vegetable to go with my barbecued Sichuan Turkey. One of the soy sauces I have been experimenting with is Chinese dark soy sauce. It is thicker and has a more complex and less salty flavor than Kikoman’s. A few weeks ago I made a dish with green beans that my family really liked.

Karl’s Leek and Bell Pepper with Dark Soy

I wanted to use the sauce again, but this time with different vegetables.  Looking in my vegetable bin, I found some leek and a bell pepper. I could work with these.

Karl’s Leek and Bell Pepper with Dark Soy

Ingredients

1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
½ tsp. Kosher salt

1 large leek, coarsely chopped
1 large bell pepper, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 Tbs. fresh ginger, sliced into shreds
2 Tbs. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. corn starch mixed with 1 Tbs. cold water

Directions

1. Put the oil in a large pan and sauté the onions with the salt, over medium high heat, until just soft.

2. Add the leaks and continue sautéing for 3-4 more minutes.

3. Add the bell peppers and continue cooking for another two minutes.

4. Pull the vegetables to the sides of the pan and add the garlic to the hole in the center. Sauté until fragrant, about one minute.

5. Stir in the soy sauce, ginger, and a splash of the cornstarch mixture. Cook for one minute more until starting to thicken.

6. Transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl and serve immediately.