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Bok Choy & Broccoli with Szechuan Sauce

bok choy stir fry

I’ts been too long since I’ve written a straight-forward vegetable post, something I am correcting right here, right now with a seriously delicious dish: stir-fried bok choy and broccoli with a nutty-spicy szechuan sauce.

I was a latecomer to the joy of choy. I have a few vague, childhood memories of bok choy appearing in a few of my mother’s dishes–perhaps an Asian chicken soup or a vegetable medley stir-fry–and I always enjoyed its fresh, clean flavor and subtle crunch whenever it showed up in Chinese take-out. But I never put bok choy on my grocery list or thought or “Oh boy, I could sure go for some bok choy right about now!” That is until this recipe from The Kitchn appeared back in 2007:

Bok Choy with Wild Mushrooms

The Kitchn was the first cooking blog I ever followed. I don’t think I necessarily even knew what a blog was back then, I just happened upon what I thought was a neat food website and started reading it on a daily basis; the writing drew me and the photos made me ravenous. I tried multiple recipes and had great success, no matter my choice, so when a recipe and photo for bok choy with mushrooms popped up, a new craving was unleashed. I tried it. I loved it. And I questioned why it had taken decades for me to give bok choy a starring role on my plate.

I suggest you do the same for all of the following reasons:
(1) It has a fresh, delicious taste.
(2) It plays well with almost any flavor(s).
(3) It’s versatile (think stir-fries. salads, soups, on the grill, in stuffings, and more).
(4) It’s inexpensive.
(5) It’s easy to prepare.
(6) It’s quick to prepare.
(7) It’s filling.
(8) It has 9 calories per cup (chopped, raw).
(9) It is a significant source of vitamins A, C and K, as well as the minerals calcium, potassium and manganese.

Not too shabby.

Here I’ve paired it with broccoli and given the whole shebang a drizzle of spicy Szechuan sauce. Enjoy your new favorite vegetable!

Bok Choy & Broccoli with Szechuan Sauce

Bok Choy & Broccoli with Szechuan Sauce

Yield: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Szechuan Sauce:

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup tahini or natural peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (GF, if needed)
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon sriracha (more or less to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons warm water

Vegetables:

  • 1 pound head of bok choy
  • 1 medium head broccoli, trimmed and cut into small florets
  • 4 medium green onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced crosswise

Instructions

  1. Sauce: Place all of the sauce ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
  2. Vegetables: Trim 1/8 inch from bottom of bok choy, then quarter lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise.
  3. In a large wok or skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Add the broccoli and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and stir-fry 4 minutes until the ribs are crisp-tender..Add the green onions; stir-fry 15 seconds longer.Serve immediately, drizzled with the sauce.

Notes

Peeling Ginger with Ease: Skip the vegetable peel and reach for a regular kitchen teaspoon. Use the edge of the spoon to scrape away the skin--it's easy!

Did you make this recipe?

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Laura Nugent

Thursday 4th of July 2013

This recipes has my most favorite go to "peanut" sauce ever! My whole extended family loves it. It's great on cold noodle salads and hot foods alike. Thank you, thank you!

Camilla

Wednesday 10th of July 2013

I am right with you on the peanut sauce--I think I could spoon it over just about anything and everything! :)

Power Hungry via Facebook

Friday 15th of February 2013

Oooh--a mix of so many of my favorite vegetables! Must seek it out! :)

Kitti Carriker via Facebook

Friday 15th of February 2013

It's about the size (somewhat bigger) and texture (v crunchy) of a jicama but more peppery in taste (like a radish). We chopped it in small cubes to put on top of salad along with hard - boiled eggs; also sliced some carrot - stick size for ranch dip.

Power Hungry via Facebook

Friday 15th of February 2013

Ooh, I have never heard of let alone seen, lo bok, Kitty! Sounds intriguing!

Kitti Carriker via Facebook

Friday 15th of February 2013

Also, this week, bought Lo Bok for the first time ever: http://www.melissas.com/Products/Products/Lo-Bok.aspx

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