This Boiled Bok Choy is an extremely easy recipe that my mother-in-law taught me. Normally she does this with lettuce but it works with all kinds of leafy vegetables. I needed a quick side dish so I decided to make this using her method.
Looking for another easy side dish? Try my Roasted Chinese Cauliflower next!
I remember the first time my mother-in-law showed me this method. My wife and I were hosting Thanksgiving dinner and we asked her parents to bring over a side dish. She decided to bring uncooked lettuce and wanted to show me how she makes it. All you do is boil the lettuce in water, oil, salt, and ginger, then mix it with oyster sauce.
I had my doubts that it would taste good, but actually it tasted really nice, especially for the amount of effort involved. Fast forward to now, I use this method for cooking a lot of different veggies. Today, I'm using bok choy.
Importance of adding oil to the water
Adding a spoonful of oil to the boiling water helps lubricate the veggies and give a better mouthfeel. It might sound pointless, but it really works. You can try it yourself at home and you will realize it makes a big difference.
Boiled Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby bok choy
- 12 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 small knob ginger (smashed)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Instructions
- To a large pot, add salt, ginger, oil, and water. Bring to a boil.
- Rinse the bok choy and separate into the leaves. When you get to the stem, you can cut it in half.
- When the water is boiling, add the baby bok choy and cook for 20 seconds (if your leaves are very thick, you can do 30 seconds). Drain the water thoroughly.
- Add the oyster sauce and toss to coat. Enjoy!
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