Mongolian stir-fry with spinach and scallions over steamed rice

• Rinse the rice.

In a small sauce pot, combine the rice and 1¼ cups [2¼ cups] water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork, cover, and keep warm. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the meal.

• Steak, chicken, or pork strips: Cut a small corner from the packaging and drain off any excess liquid. Transfer the meat to a plate; pat dry with a paper towel. 
• Shrimp or scallops: Rinse and drain the shrimp or scallops. Pat dry on a paper-towel-lined plate. 
• Tofu: Pat the tofu dry with paper towels; cut into ½-inch cubes.
• Plant-based chicken: Pat the plant-based chicken dry with a paper towel.

In a medium bowl, sprinkle the steak, chicken, or pork with the baking soda and toss to coat (skip this step for shrimp, scallops, tofu, or plant-based chicken). Let stand for 4 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.

• Peel and thinly slice enough onion to measure 1 cup [2 cups].
• Trim the root ends from the scallions; cut the scallions crosswise into 1-inch lengths, keeping the white and green parts separate.

• If using steak, chicken, or pork, rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove the baking soda; drain well. Pat dry with a paper towel. 
• Season your protein with salt and pepper; if using shrimp or scallops, season lightly. 

In a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add your protein and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes for regular shrimp; 4 to 6 minutes for jumbo shrimp, scallops, steak, pork, tofu, or plant-based chicken; and 6 to 8 minutes for chicken. Transfer to a plate. Do not clean the pan.

In the same pan used for your protein, if dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Warm over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and white parts of the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the Mongolian stir-fry base, coconut sugar, and ¼ cup [½ cup] water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add the green parts of the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in your protein and any accumulated juices and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Working in batches if needed, stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Transfer the rice to individual bowls, top with the stir-fry, and serve.