Help me with my Bok Choy Technique!

[blintz]

I need help! I get delicious sauteed baby bok choy at a local restaurant, and mixed asian greens at another, and i'm trying to recreate a similar dish at home. The ginger and garlic combo I tried seemed to be a good start, but their bok choy is a little saucy, and the bok choy is the perfect doneness, maybe seared? Itried steaming it first, but it tasted too waterlogged. I did add some Otsu sauce, but I'm not satisfied with the result.

I also bought these leafy stalks, don't know the name, but there is a little yellow flower on the leaves. it's kind of a broccoli/spinach combo.

anybody know what to do? i've got sesame oil, mirin, soy sauce, gomasio....

[robertashley]

In my experience, 99% of the greatness of Chinese (also Thai while we're at it) food is a really, really, really hot wok with sesame or peanut oil in it. I bet bok choy would be done in about 45 seconds. Throw in your ginger, garlic, some chilis if you like (dried or fresh). When you think it's done (keep it nice and crisp), dump in a concoction of vegetable broth, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch, and that'll sauce you right up.

[blintz]

That sounds right! I will try your method.....seems like you have to slice up those veg to get the "edge".

thanks!

[Beribboned]

Regarding your leafy stalks w/ small yellow flowers, I believe it's chinese broccoli. (Chinese broccoli's formal name is Brassica oleracea) You can google the name and see a pic and then let us know if this is it.

Being from Taiwan, the simple way of preparing Bok Choy takes like 5 minutes. Here's a recipe...see below...or instead of ginger, I sometimes use fresh minced garlic....usually in a restaurant, they can also use the chinese oyster sauce as a topping/sauce when finished.
Hope this helps!
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INGREDIENTS:

4 bunches baby bok choy (basically, 1 bunch per person)
2 slices ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup water
A few drops sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying

PREPARATION:

Wash the baby bok choy and drain. Separate the stalks and leaves. Cut the stalk diagonally and cut the leaves across.
Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add ginger and stir-fry briefly, for about 30 seconds, until the ginger is aromatic. Add the bok choy, adding the stalks first, and then the leaves. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, and salt, and stir-fry on high heat for 1 mdinute.
Add the water, cover the wok and simmer for about 2 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil and serve. Serves 4.

[blintz]

i just bought more at the farmer's market, and these ones are really tiny. now i can try your suggestions, thanks again!

[yambungcha]