Sautéed Bok Choy Recipe
Bok choy is the perfect vegetable for a quick, healthy side dish. Here, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes add flavor, and a final drizzle of toasted sesame oil brings it all together.
This recipe was featured as part of our Chinese New Year Dishes photo gallery.
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (from 1/2-inch piece)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 pounds bok choy (about 2 medium bunches), cleaned, ends trimmed, and cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Salt (optional)
- In a large frying pan with a tightfitting lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds.
- Add the bok choy and, using tongs, fold it into the garlic-ginger mixture until coated, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and water, cover, and cook until steam accumulates, about 1 minute. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are just wilted, the stalks are just fork tender but still crisp, and most of the water has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and season with salt if desired.
I have been shopping at the local farmers market and they always have bok choy. I will buy some and give this recipe a try. I cook a lot with seseme seed oil, garlic, and ginger.
Chinese Vegetarian Mushroom-flavored sauce is another good shortcut for fresh veggies, esp. bok choy. Made in Taiwan or Japan is best. Real quickie--blanch fresh greens (or wilt in microwave), drizzle with this high-quality sauce, voila! It's a classic street food and restaurant vegetarian dish in Taiwan and China.
I just made it now for lunch with some white rice, minus the ginger, and it was delicious. I thought ginger and garlic together might have been overkill.
Agree. This recipe is too fussy. All you really need is the greens, some salt, a bit of water or broth and maybe a bit of garlic and/or ginger.
Soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes is WAY TOO many flavors. Remember that Italians and Cantonese share this simplicity in common. Pick two or if you have to, three seasonings, and let the natural flavor of bok choy and smoking hot oil come through.