Chinese Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Bok Choy

Hiiiiiiiii. I haven’t posted for a while because I have been suffering from recipe-block. I’ve learned that’s a real thing. I would either cook something and not think it came out well enough to post, or I wouldn’t like the photos. OR…I just couldn’t think of anything new and it has been driving me loco. Getting ready for a big move so the stress of that hasn’t helped…

I asked someone very dear to me if he had any suggestions on what I should cook next. He said I should do something with shrimp and peppers. That got my brain mush swirling. I wanted him to know his ideas are valuable to me. I was committed. And peppers are pretty awesome. All the kinds of peppers. Shrimp is pretty awesome too. Definitely my favorite pink food.

Taco Tuesday had JUST happened and I needed to cook something ASAP before this blog turned to dust. I bought some Bok Choy, which I thought I might use in a curry but my brain started dancing around and I started dreaming up a taco that would be just different enough from a Taco Tuesday taco, but you know…still a taco. A Taco Thursday type of taco. This taco right here ——>

Looking at the picture of this Thursday taco is making me hungry and it’s Friday. My reward for finishing this post is getting to cook a Thai curry…sans Bok Choy. I think I am finding it’s better to post hungry.

Anyway, this was crazy easy to make and extremely time efficient. It was done 30 minutes earlier than I planned. A delicious mistake. And the Bok Choy can roast while you are preparing everything else. Niiiiiice.

I ended up using Rudi’s spelt tortillas which I flipping’ LOVE. They taste exactly like regular bleached white flour tortillas except they have the nutritional benefits of spelt (my latest fav grain)…I cannot taste the difference. CAN. NOT. And they are soft too, not like icky gluten-free tortillas (though if you find a gluten-free tortilla that doesn’t taste like hardened wax paper please let me know)…Rudi’s is the illest.

Now, the secret weapon. This jar of chili garlic sauce I found in my cabinet that I totally forgot I even bought. This is Lee Kum Kee brand and I found it at my local Whole Foods Market. If you can’t find it at your market, you can order it on Amazon.com!

If I were to try this recipe again I might add some raw shredded cabbage for a little extra crunch, though the water chestnuts help with that too. Crunchy is my favorite flavor. 🙂

Here’s how you can make it yourself:

Ingredients 

1/2 pound large white shrimp, peeled and rinsed in cold water

1 medium red bell pepper, cubed

1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce

3 heads bok choy, separated and halved length-wise (if too wide)

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

chopped cilantro for topping

salt & pepper to taste

spelt (or your preferred) tortillas

 

Directions

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

On a foil lined baking pan, line up the cleaned, separated bok choy stalks and drizzle in olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss a little with hands. Place in oven for 20 minutes, flipping the pieces over half way through.

In a large skillet melt the coconut oil on medium and add the garlic and bell pepper. Sauté about 10 minutes or until pepper starts to soften. Add shrimp and water chestnuts and toss until all is coated and the shrimp starts to turn pink.

Lower heat and add the chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger powder , chili flakes and salt/pepper. Sauté for another 5 minutes or until shrimp is completely pink and cooked.

Remove bok choy from oven and heat tortillas. Add shrimp mixture to tortillas. Top with 2 slices of roasted bok choy and chopped cilantro. Serve with a big salad.

Stuff. In. Your. Face.

Ok, whew…curry time!

xoxoxo

PK