Monday, March 2, 2015

Braised Bok Choy Shanghai Style

We're not as stylish as Victoria's cauliflower, but we have better hair.
Oh dear! I fear I'm getting a reputation for baking sweets. The shame! We really do eat veggies around here, too.

One of the things I miss about Washington, DC is the incredible Chinese restaurants. I was always the one in the crowd who insisted we order veggies along with everything else. There's just something so delicious about steamed vegetables with salty-sweet sauces.

If you're like me, you probably walk by baby bok choy in the grocery store all they time. I bought some last week and thought I really ought to try doing something with them besides throwing them into soup or a stir-fry. I found this interesting and oh-so-simple recipe for braised bok choy and had to try it. I took a quick look at other Chinese recipes and most seemed similar but involved a lot more liquid. In this recipe, the bok choy is mostly steamed. It's still crispy, not limp and cooked to death, which I particularly liked. It says this is Shanghai style.

However, for my American palate, I thought the sauce was a little bit too watery. So I whipped up a second sauce by decreasing the water and increasing the other ingredients. Then I simmered it for about five minutes to enhance the flavors, and that turned out great. It would be a snap to add some garlic powder or ginger, if that's your taste.

I happened to have some Asian cooking oil on hand, which is a combination of peanut oil and sesame oil. The recipe doesn't specify the type of oil. I suspect that the flavor benefits from an Asian style oil like sesame or peanut if you have it on hand.




Braised Bok Choy Shanghai Style
from TasteHongKong.com

2-4 baby bok choys
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons oil
1/2 cup water

Slice the bok choy in half and soak in water for about half an hour to loosen any dirt in between the leaves. Swish it in the water, then pat dry.

Combine the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the bok choy, bottom first. Press leaves down as necessary and place a tight lid on top. Turn the heat to low and simmer 5-7 minutes. Serve hot.

Krista's extra sauce:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons water

Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer, uncovered, about five minutes. Serve over bok choy.



Bottoms into the sauce in the pot.

Push down the leaves and put a lid on the pot.

After cooking. Still nice and green.

Serve warm with Krista's extra sauce on the side!



19 comments:

  1. Your reputation for baking sweets is well-deserved Krista, but this looks wonderful and easy. And I see your vegetables are following in the Victoria Abbott tradition of dressing up for the photo shoot! xo

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    1. The bok choy were jealous of Victoria's cauliflower! I love to bake but I'm always cooking veggies. Most of the time they're boring, though.

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  2. I'm always looking for new ways to cook veggies because I am determined to get more into our diet. I love them, but hubby eats his as if he was doing penance. Maybe the sugar in the sauce will win him over!

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    1. Does he like Chinese food? The sauce is such a familiar flavor to me. It won't hide the fact that it's a veggie, but if he likes Chinese flavors, he might go for it.

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  3. Bok choy is a favorite around here (with or without glasses!) and your recipe looks delicious.Smart tip to soak the veggies first. Beats all that scrubbing. Thanks, Krista.

    ~ Cleo.

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    1. I thought that was smart, too, Cleo. I found some sand in the bottom of the water, so it worked.

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  4. Such dignified veggies around here!
    This looks simple and quite tasty. I would vote for the addition of ginger and garlic.

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    1. We look for dignified veggies, Libby! LOL! I will definitely try adding ginger or garlic next time. When the sauce is reduced it has quite a strong flavor, though.

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  5. "We're not as stylish as Victoria's cauliflower, but we have better hair"...FOOD FIGHT!! Loved it! :)

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  6. I'm adding this to the dinner menu this week. Looks delicious!

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    1. I hope you like it, Daniele. It's fast and easy, and I loved that the veggies weren't overcooked. They still have a little snap to them.

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  7. A new look for the "Eat Smart" campaign! We make a similar dish with ginger and garlic, and toss in shrimp at the end. Super good and easy.

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  8. What a great recipe - not just because of the great green 'dos' and the snappy glasses but because I happen to have four baby bok choy in my fridge and no clue what to do with them. But that's all changed now. Thanks for a great recipe, Krista. It's printed out and ready to go.

    XO

    MJ

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    1. My bok choy thought some of their cousins had gone north. ; ) I hope you'll like it, Mary Jane!

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  9. Love the glasses. Love the recipe. And I knew you are veggies. Your skin is too pretty for a pure sugar junkie. ;)
    Daryl/Avery

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    1. Aww, you're too nice, Daryl. We do love veggies. And it was such a treat to have the sauce that reminded me of the great Chinese veggies I used to order.

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  10. Love the eye glass photo! I was devistated when my favorite D.C. resturant closed--Mr. K's, we still have one in NYC but it is just not the same.
    I am with you, I love ordering veggie dishes when out for Chinese. Here in NYS Capital District we have two great fusion resturants (Buffalo Wagon and Jade Bistro) and both offer a fantastic sauteed spinach and a sauteed Chinese Brocoli that is to die for. And, yes I am with you, I order veggies with everything.

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