Seared Bok Choy with an Asian-Inspired Glaze #recipe by @LeslieKarst

 

Bok choy (also known as pak choy), a member of the mustard family, is commonly chopped up and added to stir fries and soups, or eaten raw in salads. But it’s also delicious roasted or fried, especially when its slightly peppery flavor is complimented with a sweet and savory sauce such as the one used here. Served with grilled meat and steamed white rice, this dish makes for a simple yet tasty meal. 

 

Look for baby bok choy, which range in size from 5 to 8 inches in length. But if you can’t find them, feel free to use the larger heads: Simply separate the stems and leaves and cook the stems first, then add the leaves at the end. 

 

Seared Bok Choy with an Asian-Inspired Glaze

(serves 4)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons mirin

1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

pinch chili flakes (plus more, for garnish)

3 tablespoons canola, or other neutral oil, for frying bok choy

8 baby bok choy, or 4 large ones

black sesame seeds, for garnish

 

Directions

Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes in a small bowl. 

 

Cut the baby bok choy in half lengthwise, and wash away any grit that’s collected between the stems at the base. (If using large heads, separate the stems from the leaves.) Pat the bok choy dry with a dish towel. 

 

Heat half of the canola oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering, then lay half of the bok choy, flat sides down, in the pan and cook until starting to brown. Flip them over and brown the other sides, then remove to a dish. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and brown the rest of the bok choy on both sides.

 

Return the first batch of bok choy to the pan and pour the sauce over it all. 

 

Continue cooking, covered, until the white parts of the bok choy are tender (about 2-4 minutes). Serve drizzled with any sauce left in the pan, and scattered with black sesame seeds and more chili flakes, if desired. (See photo at top.)

 

🌱  🍴  🌿

 

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California.

An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.

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