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Stir-Fried Sesame Baby Bok Choy

4.2

(19)

Separated leaves of bok choy in a large white bowl.
Photo by Diana Kuan

Having a great bok choy recipe means you have an easy, satisfying side to add to any weeknight meal. The vegetable itself is a mildly sweet and peppery variety of Chinese cabbage that’s sold both in its mature state and as a “baby” variety. Baby bok choy is harvested when it’s young, tender, and small (around just three to five inches in length), making it ideal for steaming, boiling, roasting, and, of course, stir-frying, as we do here. 

To prepare bok choy for cooking, you’ll want to trim and discard the rough bottoms of the vegetable before following any recipe instructions. It’s not uncommon to see baby bok choy halved or quartered, but for this stir-fry, we separate the leaves so that they cook quickly and evenly. After cooking with garlic, ginger, and a mixture of soy sauce, rice wine, and touch of sugar, the green leaves emerge from the wok crisp-tender and aromatic. A drizzle of sesame oil adds a nutty finish.

Editor's note: This recipe was originally published in The Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan and first appeared on Epicurious July 2, 2013.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal

Ingredients

1 pound baby bok choy

Sauce

1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim and discard the rough bottoms from the baby bok choy. Separate the leaves, rinse, and pat dry.

    Step 2

    In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Set aside.

    Step 3

    Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the peanut oil and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until aromatic, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add the soy sauce mixture and cook for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, and drizzle with sesame oil. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot.

Cover of the cookbook featuring eggrolls, kung pao chicken, soup, and a noodle dish.
Reprinted with permission from The Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan, © 2012 Ballantine Books. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.

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