Sichuan Milkweed Pod Salad
This Sichuan milkweed pod salad is at once refreshing and bracingly spicy. Pick young milkweed pods about the size of your thumb.
Remember:
-Only harvest from common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).
-Some people have an intolerance to the plant, and may have stomach upset after eating it, so start off with a very small amount.
–The common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a plant known to contain cardioactive steroids, specifically asclepiadin, gomphoside, and afroside. Many eat this plant with no ill effects. Many common vegetables (eggplants, tomatoes, ground cherries, hot chilies, etc.) have toxic compounds, but are eaten regularly. Use your own discretion about eating this plant.
-Take only one pod off of each milkweed plant.
-Make sure the pods feel firm to the touch.
-If there are any signs of monarch butterflies on the plant, leave it alone
-Make sure you cook milkweed; don’t eat it raw.
-Familiarize yourself with dogbane, a toxic milkweed lookalike (actually hard to mistake unless you’re harvesting shoots).
- Prep Time18 min
- Cook Time2 min
- Total Time20 min
- Yield4 servings as a side
Ingredients
- 7oz (200g) young milkweed pods
- 2 cloves garlic, minced very finely
- 2 teaspoons Chinese sesame paste OR tahini
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons mild chili oil
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Preparation
Wash the milkweed pods and remove any pieces of hard stem.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and set a bowl of cold water with some ice cubes in it nearby.
Boil the milkweed pods for 2 minutes, then transfer to the bowl of cold water (this is called blanching).
While the pods cool, mix together the garlic, sesame paste, soy sauce, chili oil, and sugar in a bowl.
Remove the milkweed pods from the cold water and shake off excess water.
Slice the pods in half lengthwise and set up artfully on a plate or serving platter.
Drizzle with the sauce, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Serve alongside a wild-themed Chinese dinner as a side, or on its own. Enjoy!
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