Stir-fried bok choy with garlic and ginger
Crisp stalks, just-wilted leaves, chopped garlic and a hint of ginger, seasoned with salt as in Cantonese restaurants: a stir-fried green vegetable to bring to the table with the main course.
Method
- Separate each leaf from the base of the bok choy. Soak for 3 minutes in a large bowl of cold water with a few drops of washing-up liquid. Rub the white base of each stalk under the tap, where soil and insects collect, rinse in clean water, then hold each leaf up to the light to inspect it; discard any with insect damage. Dry in a salad spinner, then pat with a tea towel: the leaves should feel dry to the touch.
- Cut the green leaf away from the white stalk of each leaf. Cut the stalks into 3 cm lengths and keep the green parts whole, or halve if large, in a separate bowl. Finely chop or crush the garlic, and cut the ginger into fine matchsticks. Put the salt, white wine, water and soya sauce, if using, beside the hob, as everything moves very quickly from here.
- Heat the oil in a wok or 28–30 cm frying pan over a high heat until it shimmers and a drop of water sizzles immediately. Lower to a medium-high heat, add the garlic and ginger and stir for 10–15 seconds: they should smell fragrant and the garlic remain barely golden. Immediately add the stalks, increase to a high heat, season with the 3 g salt and stir-fry for 2 minutes, tossing constantly to keep the garlic off the bottom. The stalks should glisten, develop a few golden patches and remain firm at the centre.
- Pour the white wine over the stalks: it should sizzle and evaporate in a few seconds. Add the 35 g water and the soya sauce, if using, cover and cook over a high heat for 1 minute. The tip of a knife should enter the stalks with slight resistance.
- Uncover and add the leaves in two handfuls, 20 seconds apart, folding the stalks over them. Stir-fry over a high heat for 1 minute, until the leaves are wilted, bright green and glossy, with only a spoonful of clear liquid left at the bottom. Taste a stalk and add a pinch of salt if needed.
- Turn off the heat, add a few drops of sesame oil if you like, and serve immediately alongside the main course, while the leaves are still bright green and the stalks crisp.
On your plate
Recipe
157 kcal · protein 3 g · carbs 5 g · fat 13 g
Quantities per person
- 200 g Bok choy (pak choi)
- 7.5 g Garlic
- 4 g Fresh ginger
- 12.5 g Sunflower oil, for frying or as a neutral oil
- 1.5 g Fine salt
- 5 g Kosher dry white wine
- 17.5 g Water
- 2.5 g Soya sauce
- 0.5 g Toasted sesame oil
Cooking tips
Thoroughly drying the leaves and stalks with a salad spinner or tea towel keeps them from cooling the pan and boiling. If your pan is smaller than 28 cm, cook in two batches, using half the oil, garlic and ginger each time, so the temperature stays high. In China, this vegetable is served with the main course, rather than before it. It accompanies Chinese dishes without green vegetables, such as beef and onions, kung pao chicken or mapo tofu. If serving on its own as a starter, sprinkle with 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds or one finely sliced spring onion. Do not leave it waiting under a lid, as the leaves will turn yellow. If small bok choy are unavailable, use one large head and slice the stalks more finely. In Israel, bok choy certified insect-free, ללא חרקים, needs only a thorough rinse. Choose soya sauce and wine certified kosher pareve.
Cantonese home cooking: 蒜蓉炒白菜, greens stir-fried with chopped garlic; quantities and kosher adaptation by Menutov.
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