Nyob Zoo All!
It is the season! Ntsis Taub (squash shoots) is my all time favorite summer vegetable. It’s amazing in soups, stews, and stir fries. It’s earthy, tender, slightly sweet, and pack full of nutrients. Today, I’ll show you the stir fry version. This time we’re going to cook it with chicken. It’s great over rice. If you’ll able to get a hold of some squash shoots, give this recipe a try 🙂
Main Ingredients
Pumpkin/Squash Shoots fresh from the garden
The outer shoots that pops out of the whole squash plant. Cut about 12-18 inches to be used since this part is the tender part. The younger leaves and blossoms are edible as well.
Squash shoots are only available during the summer time since that’s when they shoot out and that’s when they are the most tender. As the plant matures through fall, the vines/shoots will get too tough to eat.
What pumpkin/squash plants do we like to grow to get shoots?
We like to grow Green Kabocha & Blue Kuri Kabocha
Make sure to peel off (the best you can) the fuzzy part.
Make sure to rinse and drain well before using
Protein: Chicken thigh and chicken skin
Aromatics and seasonings
Mushroom seasoning, salt, lemongrass, garlic, chili peppers, and basil
Fry the chicken skin until golden crispy
Adding in a young kabocha squash for texture 
Stir fry and enjoy over fresh steamed rice. Don’t forget to crumble some of that crispy chicken skin over for extra texture and flavor 🙂 Happy Cooking!
Enjoy!
-Cindy Her (C.HerCreations)
Squash Shoot Stir Fry w/ Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thigh (chopped)
- 1 tsp salt (to season the thigh)
- 1 lb chicken skin (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp salt (to season the skin)
- 2 whole lemongrass stalk (smashed)
- 1/4 cup garlic (chopped)
- 1.5 lb squash shoots (trimmed, rinsed, drained well)
- 1 cup young kabocha or zucchini (chopped)
- 2 tsp mushroom seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp salt (to season the whole dish)
- 3 whole (or more) chili peppers (chopped)
- 1 cup Thai basil
Instructions
- Clean and trimmed the fuzzy parts of the squash shoots. Cut into bite size pieces if needed and rinse well. Place in a strainer and allow any excess water to drain before using.
- In a good non stick pan, add in the chopped chicken skin. Add a pinch of salt to season. Cook and render out the fat until the chicken skin becomes golden brown and crispy. Once crispy, transfer into a strainer to drain excess fat and allow the skin to cool off.
- In the same pan, add in about 2 tbsp of the chicken fat. Add in the minced garlic and pounded lemongrass stalks. Cook for about 1-2 minutes to release the aroma. Then add in the diced chicken thigh along with 1 tsp of salt. Allow it to cook until the thigh is fully cooked and most of the water has evaporated. There should also be some color to the chicken. Then add in the sliced zucchini or young squash. Cook for 2 minutes or so. Then add in the squash shoots, salt, and mushroom seasoning. Stir and cook until the shoots become slightly tender or to your liking. Then add in the chili peppers and Thai basil. Mix well and then turn off heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. When serving you can crumble the chicken skin as garnish! This way they stay crispy. Serve over fresh steamed rice and enjoy! 🙂
