Bok choy (also known as pak choi or Chinese cabbage) is a green leaf cabbage that is used quite often in Chinese cooking.
It is quite delicious, and can be eaten raw or cooked. Baby bok choy is a smaller, tender variety of bok choy. Regular bok choy is about the size of celery. The leaves of bok choy can be quite peppery, when they are raw (especially regular bok choy). But when cooked, they become more tender. Either variety of bok choy works well in this braised bok choy recipe.
Bok choy is quite healthy, as it has no fat or cholesterol. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fiber, protein, thiamin, folate, calcium, iron and magnesium. Wow -- now that's a superfood!
When shopping for bok choy, look for firm stems and lush green leaves (no yellow). The best way to store bok choy is to wash it, towel dry it (or use a salad spinner) and put it in an unsealed plastic bag. It should keep in your refrigerator about 5 to 7 days that way.
Serve this braised bok choy along with shrimp fried rice and vegetarian pot stickers for a yummy homemade meal that tastes better than any Chinese delivery or take-out you can get (and it is much cheaper, too!).
Braised Baby Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 3/4 pound to 1 pound bok choy or baby bok choy, washed and trimmed
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Directions
- Heat the canola oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add grated ginger and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until ginger perfumes the oil.
- Add bok choy (if you are using regular bok choy, you can cut it into chunks if you like) to the skillet. Stir fry until the bok choy becomes bright green, about 2 minutes.
- Remove bok choy to a serving plate.
- Add broth, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar to the pan. Cook another 2 minutes or so to allow flavors to meld.
- Pour over bok choy. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Per serving (based on 6): 68 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 176 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, 67% vitamin A, 57% vitamin C, 9% calcium, 4% iron
Stephanie Gallagher - Stephanie Gallagher is a veteran journalist and author. In addition to writing for Suite 101, she is the Cooking for Kids columnist for ...
