Culinary Guides

These tacos swap the usual cabbage slaw for a crisp, gingery one built on bok choy and peppery radishes. The chicken marinates in lime, tamari, and ginger, and the whole thing comes together fast. The slaw is good enough to make on its own as a side.

For the chicken

• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari, or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

For the bok choy and radish slaw

• 1 medium head bok choy, stems and leaves very thinly sliced
• 1 bunch radishes, greens removed and very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari, or soy sauce
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lime
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced

For the tacos

• Peanut oil for frying
• 8 corn tortillas
• Fresh cilantro for serving

Marinate the chicken

1. Combine the lime zest and juice, tamari, honey, red pepper flakes, cilantro, and ginger in a bowl. Add the chicken, coat well, and marinate 25 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.

Make the slaw

1. Toss the sliced bok choy and radishes in a large bowl. Whisk the peanut oil, tamari, lime juice and zest, sesame oil, honey, ginger, and garlic into a dressing, pour it over, and toss. Set aside to let the flavors meld.

Cook and assemble

1. Heat the peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Shake the excess marinade off the chicken and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, then rest.
2. Wipe the skillet, add more oil, and fry each tortilla about 1 minute per side until lightly crisp. Fill with chicken, top with slaw, and finish with cilantro.

Grower's tip: radishes are one of the fastest crops you can grow, ready in about 25 days. Sow a short row every couple of weeks and pull them the moment they size up, since radishes left in the ground turn pithy and unpleasantly hot.

The slaw is all garden. Grow your own bok choy seeds and radish seeds, plus cilantro for the chicken and the finish.