Sautéed Baby Bok Choy With Garlic Sauce Recipe

Rinse the baby bok choy thoroughly under cold water, separating leaves if necessary to remove grit. Trim the base if needed and slice each bok choy lengthwise if large; leave small ones whole. Pat dry with a kitchen towel or spin in a salad spinner.

If using carrot, peel and thinly slice on the diagonal into about 1/8-inch slices so they cook quickly.

Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and grate or mince the ginger. Thinly slice the scallions, keeping whites and greens separate if you prefer to add whites earlier.

In a small bowl, whisk together light soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and warm broth. In a separate small cup, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of the warm broth (or water) to make a slurry; set both aside.

Heat pan

Place a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil and let it shimmer but not smoke, about 30 seconds.

Aromatics

Add the minced garlic and ginger (and white parts of scallions if using) to the pan. Stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned to avoid bitterness.

Vegetables

Add the sliced carrots first (if using) and stir for 30 seconds. Add the baby bok choy, tossing to coat in the oil and aromatics. Sear for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stems begin to brighten and get a little color.

Steam briefly

Pour the sauce mixture (soy/oyster/vinegar/sesame/broth) around the sides of the pan and quickly cover with a lid. Let the bok choy steam for 1–2 minutes until stems are tender-crisp and leaves are wilted.

Thicken sauce

Remove the lid and stir. Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir and pour it into the pan while stirring the vegetables. Cook uncovered for 30–60 seconds until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy and coats the bok choy.

Finish

Taste and adjust seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you want heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes. Stir in the sliced scallion greens and drizzle a little extra sesame oil if desired. Toss to combine and remove from heat immediately to keep the bok choy crisp-tender.

Transfer the sautéed baby bok choy to a serving platter. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top if using. Serve hot as a side or over steamed rice.