Ginger Bok Choy
Kelly AllenThe star of this recipe is the sauce. Infused with ginger, soy sauce, and sake, it's delicate and light, coming together quickly while still packing plenty of flavor. The bok choy is the perfect vehicle, with plenty of nooks and crannies for capturing all the saucy goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 lb baby bok choy, sliced into quarters, sixths, or eighths (depending on the girth of the head), inside leaves cleaned of any sand or dirt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or untoasted sesame oil
- 3 tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup water, plus ¼ cup additional water
- 3 tsp cornstarch
- 1½ tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp sake or dry sherry
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of water, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sake, toasted sesame oil, salt, and a few grinds of pepper (white pepper is best, but black works just fine).
- In a wide skillet, heat the ginger and the oil over medium. Cook until the ginger is aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the bok choy to the skillet and, using tongs, turn to coat with the ginger-infused oil.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the remaining water to the skillet. Cover and steam for 2-3 minutes. The bok choy should still be somewhat crisp.
- Remove the lid and add the sauce to the pan. Cook, stirring the sauce and tossing the bok choy, until the bok choy cooks through and slightly wilts, about 5 minutes. The sauce should be thickened and clear.
- Serve immediately with plenty of warm rice or freshly cooked noodles.
