This simple stir fried garlic baby bok choy dish is the way we tend to prepare baby bok choy almost every week. It’s so quick, easy, and healthy. Summer—and with it, grill season—is fast approaching, and I like this garlic baby bok choy as an alternative to just a regular salad as a vegetable side.
Stir fried garlic baby bok choy is quick and easy so it’s also great as a holiday side dish
There are a couple types of “bok choy.” Some have thick white stems with dark green leaves, and others have more tender light green stems with smoother green leaves.
In my younger days, bok choy generally meant the white bok choy variety that grew quite large. These vegetables were more commonly found in Chinese restaurants at the time, run by enterprising blue collar folks not formally schooled in the culinary arts (like me).
A lot of these restaurants were heavily adjusted to Western tastes, of course, where the bok choy was used in dishes like moo goo gai pan or chicken chow mein.
In fact, I remember the delivery trucks bringing wooden crates of these large vegetables into the Holiday Inn when I worked with my father serving up mostly Chinese-American cuisine.
Green bok choy, sometimes referred to and Shanghai baby bok choy is more common today, as they are more tender, harvested earlier, marketed as baby bok choy, and quite common nowadays.
Both pictures below were taken from the Burpee site for “white bok choy” and “green bok choy” in case you want to purchase some seeds and grow them yourselves. My mother used to grow both in our garden in upstate NY, where I had the pleasure of watering and weeding the garden every day.
But back to the point of this post: how to cook a quick and easy leafy green garlicky side dish that completes any meal. The Shanghai baby bok choy is the one featured in this recipe, and can be found in any Chinese grocery store. It’s also great when tossed in noodle soups or dumpling fillings.
Recipe Instructions
Trim the bottoms off of each bundle of baby bok choy, and split them in half or quarters. Just make sure all of the pieces are relatively uniform so they cook evenly. You can leave them whole if they’re very small and tender.
Wash thoroughly with cold water two to three times. These days, we’re never too cautious about making sure all of the dirt and pesticides are rinsed away.
The best method is to use a large basin or sink to rinse and swirl around the vegetables letting them soak for a few minutes before draining and washing again.
Shake off the excess water after the final rinse and transfer to a colander to drain. It is important to drain the vegetables well since these veggies will release quite a bit of water during the cooking process.
Heat the wok over high heat until smoking, and add 2 tablespoons oil.
Swirl around the oil so the wok is coated. Add all of the garlic…
And immediately add the bok choy. Move quickly to stir and sauté the greens in the oil and garlic. Stir quickly so you don’t burn the garlic!
Use a folding motion to turn the vegetables or use tongs if that is easier. Once the vegetables begin to wilt, about 30 seconds, add salt, white pepper, and sugar.
How long you cook them from here is all personal preference. Judy likes to cook them a bit longer for a softer texture while I like them a little bit more crisp.
Plate and serve your stir fried garlic baby bok choy immediately.
Garlic Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby bok choy (450g)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- salt and white pepper (to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Trim the bottoms off of each bundle of bok choy, and split them in half or quarters. Just make sure all of the pieces are relatively uniform so they cook evenly. You can leave them whole if they’re very small and tender.
- Wash thoroughly with cold water two to three times. These days, we’re never too cautious about making sure all of the dirt and pesticides are rinsed away. The best method is to use a large basin or sink to rinse and swirl around the vegetables letting them soak for a few minutes before draining and washing again. Shake off the excess water after the final rinse and transfer to a colander to drain. It is important to drain the vegetables well since these veggies will release quite a bit of water during the cooking process.
- Heat the wok over high heat until smoking, and add 2 tablespoons oil. Swirl around the oil so the wok is coated. Add all of the garlic and immediately add the bok choy. Move quickly to stir and sauté the greens in the oil and garlic. Stir quickly so you don’t burn the garlic!
- Use a folding motion to turn the vegetables or use tongs if that is easier. Once the vegetables begin to wilt, about 30 seconds, add salt, pepper, and sugar. How long you cook them from here is all personal preference. Judy likes to cook them a bit longer for a softer texture while I like them a little bit more crisp. Plate and serve immediately.
I am THRILLED to have found this blog!
One question: In your recipe you suggest cutting the bok choy in halves or questers, and yet the photo shows intact bok choy. Can you clarify please? Thank you so much. I can’t wait to cook this.
Hi Maureen, please cut it lengthwise, this way you get both the leaf and the trunk in every bite.
Would you recommend blanching the bok choi first? How done is the bok choi expected to be?
Hi Larry, I would not recommend blanching first. It’s an extra unnecessary step and I think results in some loss of nutrients and taste. How done the bok choy should be is a personal preference. I like it a little bit crunchy, and Judy likes it softer. Just cook/simmer it a little longer if you like it soft.
Can the “white” bok choy be cooked the same way – only longer cooking time? I want to try this using the larger vegetable, so I will cut it into smaller pieces . . .
Hi Chefmad, the same method will definitely work with the larger Bork Choy with similar cooking time if you cut them into smaller bite sized pieces
Thanks. I know it’s a really simple recipe, but it’s still really appreciated. Made this for my family tonight. Crunchy and garlicky!
You’re quite welcome James. I think veggies are generally under-appreciated because most people don’t cook them properly but sounds like you got it right!
Hiya, just wondering what kind of oil you use for the recipe- olive, veggie, etc?
It looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it!
Hi Isobel, We used canola oil to keep things Asian but we do regularly use light olive oil as well.
YUM!! Can’t wait to try this, I love garlic bok choy!! Will definitely make it for my parents when I next visit, any tips on what other dishes to serve it with?
Hey Samoana, any of our protein dishes and stir-fries would be great with this side dish. In our family, some kind of leafy green stir-fried in garlic is usually at EVERY meal, we think it goes with everything. :)
I LOVE baby boks! Stir-fry with garlic is my go-to for weeknight veggies on the dinner table :)
-k
I love how simple this is!! I love adding garlic to just about everything I cook. I can’t wait to give this a try! I love you site and everything looks so delicious.
Thanks Alexis!
Shanghai bok choy is probably my favorite vegetable and this is the way I try and cook it. Though, I’ve never added sugar to it before. I’ll definitely try adding it next time.
Hi Jessica, A pinch of sugar helps to contrast the flavor of the salt and garlic in the dish. It is optional and how much you pinch is personal preference. Enjoy!