Braised Baby Bok Choy
An intense, flavorful dish that pairs well with Asian flavored entrees and sautéed, broiled or grilled fish dishes.
Bok Choy is a cruciferous vegetable, related to Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. In fact, it is a cabbage that originated in China. The only recipe thus far in which Kitchen Tapestry uses bok choy is in the recipe for Pork & Shiitake Mushroom Lo Mein and it is an invaluable contributor to the success of that recipe's texture and flavor profile.
Large or White Bok Choy
There are several different types of bok choy but only two are most commonly found in the US. Large Bok Choy, sometimes called White Bok Choy is in large stalks about the same height as celery, with bright white stalks and dark green wrinkly leaves that resemble Collard Greens. This is the variety used in the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Pork & Shiitake Mushroom Lo Mein.
Baby or Shanghai Bok Choy
More recently on the culinary scene in this country, however, is commonly referred to as Baby Bok Choy, which is actually Shanghai Bok Choy and it is a smaller plant with bulbous, light green stems and flat, fan-shaped leaves, lighter in color than White Bok Choy. This is the style of bok choy used for this recipe.
This recipe was actually created as an accompaniment to the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Miso Glazed Salmon with Chinese Butter Fruit Dressing. It was found originally on the Serious Eats website, although the ingredients have been modified somewhat and we did not follow their cooking method. Like many recipe websites in the blogosphere, the author complicated the need to keep taking the boy choy out of the sauce and putting it back in the pan twice. We opted for a simpler, two-step method of pan frying the bok choy first, then allowing it to simmer and braise on a low, slow heat for the balance of the cooking process.
Make sure you use a dark, Chinese-style soy sauce, like, Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark as opposed to a lighter Japanese-style soy sauce.
Braised Baby Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 4 Baby or Shanghai Bok Choy
- 4 tbsp peanut oil
- 2 teaspoons of fresh grated (or jarred) ginger (do not use dried or powdered)
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (like, Marukan Seasoned Gourmet)
- 1/4 cup premium, dark soy sauce (like, Pearl River Bridge)
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 green onion, finely minced
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse the bok choy, then cut in half lengthwise. Dry thoroughly on paper towels.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering, then place in the halved bok choy, cut side down. Cook until the cut sides are browned, about 6 minutes. Turn the bok choy over and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a platter for the time being.
- Lower the heat to medium low and add the garlic and ginger to the pan and stir fry for about thirty seconds.
- Add the water, vinegar and soy sauce to the pan, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add the molasses, honey and green onion, then stir well to combine. Bring the liquid to a soft simmer.
- Nestle the bok choy into the simmering liquid and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has reduced to a few tablespoons.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with a little of the pan sauce on top.
