Stir-Fried Bok Choy

Bok choy is a favorite in my house — it’s one of the easiest ways to get a green veggie on the table quickly. If you’re not familiar with the vegetable, it can feel a little intimidating to cook, but it’s fairly straightforward once you tackle it once or twice.

Bok choy can be cooked many ways, like other greens — steamed, simmered in soup, or sautéed. Here, it’s stir-fried for an easy side that goes well with any weeknight dinner.

• It’s a quick and easy side dish. Stir-fried bok choy pairs well with everything, from pan-seared chicken to oven-roasted salmon.
• It’s simple, yet delicious. Bok choy plays well with lots of flavors in different dishes, but cooked simply with garlic, it shines on its own.

Most bok choy seen in grocery stores is actually baby bok choy, picked and packed when most tender. Full-grown bok choy gets to be quite large, similar to Napa cabbage. 

Bok choy is a member of the cabbage family. It has a slightly bitter, mustardy flavor that softens with cooking. It also has lots of texture. The leaves are tender, with crisp, almost juicy stalks that hold up well to cooking.

Baby bok choy is very often just halved before cooking. While this makes prep quick, it can be a little unwieldy to eat — even with small bulbs. Instead, break it down into parts.

1. Remove the larger outer leaves.
2. Trim the stalk.
3. Cut the remaining heart in half lengthwise. 

Pulling the bok choy apart also allows for you to clean them thoroughly (it’s easy for dirt and bugs to get stuck in the layers). After washing, dry the bok choy thoroughly; a salad spinner works great for this. Making sure excess water is removed avoids steaming the bok choy, allowing for better stir-fried flavor. 

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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