Description
A quick and flavorful side dish of tender bok choy cooked in a savory ginger sauce. This recipe features fresh ginger sautéed in oil, a light steaming process to retain crispness, and a thickened soy-based sauce with oyster sauce and sesame oil to enhance the natural sweetness of the greens. Perfect as a healthy accompaniment to any Asian-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Bok Choy
- 6 small bok choys (up to ~17cm/7″ long, or other Asian greens)
Sauce and Seasoning
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup ginger, finely julienned (or 1 tbsp garlic)
- 1/4 cup water (for sauce)
- 3 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce (or all-purpose soy)
- 1 tsp oyster sauce (substitute vegetarian oyster sauce if desired)
- 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup water (for steaming)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt
- Pinch white pepper
Instructions
- Cutting: Trim the base of the bok choy and separate all the leaves, keeping the delicate baby bok choy in the center intact. Cut large stems lengthwise in half so all pieces are roughly the same size. Rinse the bok choy in a colander and shake off excess water; it’s fine if not completely dry.
- Prepare Sauce: In a jug, stir together all the sauce ingredients except water until the cornflour is dissolved to avoid lumps. Then stir in the 1/4 cup water to complete the sauce.
- Sauté Ginger: Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the julienned ginger. Once it starts sizzling, sauté for 1 minute until the ginger is light golden and softened.
- Add Bok Choy and Toss: Add the bok choy to the pan and use two spatulas to toss with the ginger for about 15 seconds, coating the greens evenly with the ginger oil.
- Steam: Increase heat to medium, pour 1/4 cup water over the bok choy, cover with a lid, and steam for 45 seconds until the bok choy is just tender but still crisp.
- Add Sauce and Toss Again: Remove the lid, pour in the prepared sauce, and toss for 30 seconds until the sauce thickens and turns clear. The bok choy should be tender yet retain a soft crunch. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water and mix.
- Serve: Transfer the bok choy and sauce to a serving plate and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Use small bok choy to ensure quick cooking and optimal texture.
- Light soy sauce provides a milder saltiness compared to all-purpose soy sauce.
- Chinese cooking wine adds depth; if unavailable, dry sherry can be a substitute.
- If sauce thickens too much, gently loosen with a small splash of water to reach desired consistency.
