by Deb Morris
A staple in Chinese cooking, bok choy is one of those vegetables that are often familiar, but most don’t know how to cook with it. It is a simple veggie with green leaves and a crisp root end. The flavor is mild and yet adds texture and flavor to soups and stir fry.
- Sauté: Add to noodles and pasta, or serve alone as a side dish with salt, pepper, and garlic
- Stir Fry: A traditional method, cooked quickly and integrated into dishes with tofu, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, or vegetables.
- Soup: Chop and add to broth and noodles with other vegetables and/or meats.
- Salad: Eat raw in salads, sliced, for a nice green with crunch.
- Steamed: Steam a couple of minutes to wilt and serve as a side with teriyaki or soy sauces.
The ways to enjoy bok choy are endless. Use in place of other green vegetables such as spinach or Swiss chard to change things up in your everyday meals.
Tip: Separate and rinse leaves before cooking, as residue can cling between leaves. Don’t wash until just before using.
Sautéed Bok Choy with Mushrooms
2 lbs bok choy
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable broth
Cut off the base of the bok choy stalks; discard. Separate the stalks and leaves. If the stems of the bok choy leaves are large, chop finely. Wash the leaves and stalks; drain in a colander.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the green onions, mushrooms, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in the bok choy and coconut milk; cook, stirring until the leaves are tender and stalks are still crunchy, 3-6 minutes.