In traditional recipes for Chinese soy-braised greens, the greens are likely to be blanched before they’re quickly cooked with ingredients that supply high-impact flavor. In this recipe, however, the baby bok choy is stir-fried with aromatics, then braised in a mixture of Shaoxing rice wine and soy sauce, with sugar for sweetness and sesame oil for nuttiness.
A few minutes of uncovered cooking drives off excess moisture, leaving the greens meltingly tender and coated in a light savory-sweet sauce. Serve with steamed fish or spooned atop a bowl of rice. Ours paired nicely with Pan-Seared Sesame-Crusted Tuna Steaks.
NOTE: Don’t forget to wash the bok choy, as the inner leaves often trap dirt or sand. But make sure to drain and dry so it browns rather than steams when it hits the hot skillet.
Soy-Braised Baby Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
- 2 lbs. baby bok choy, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
- 1 bunch scallions, whites thinly sliced, greens thinly sliced on the diagonal, reserved separately
- 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine OR dry sherry OR sake
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar OR white sugar
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Directions
- In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the neutral oil until shimmering. Add the bok choy and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the scallion whites, ginger and garlic, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Reduce to medium and stir in the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, then immediately cover. Cook until the bok choy is tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is lightly thickened and the bok choy is fully tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the scallion greens.
Recipe from Milk Street
Accounting for Taste 
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