Bok Choy 3 Ways: Garlic Stir-Fry, Ginger Steam & Sesame Soy

Shanghai bok choy, three delicious finishes: garlicky stir-fried bok choy, gently steamed bok choy with ginger, and tender-crisp greens with sesame-soy dressing. Use 600 g for a tasting trio, or choose your favourite method and scale its seasonings to the amount of greens.

Ingredients for 3

This makes three side portions of a tasting trio, not three complete meals. Large bok choy needs longer on its thicker stems. Choose reduced-salt soy sauce if preferred. Soy sauce normally contains wheat; check the label. Bunch weights are not guaranteed, so check the trimmed weight before cooking.

Method

1. Step 1Wash between the stems

   Separate 600 g trimmed bok choy into leaves. Rinse grit from the stem bases and drain well; keep the leaves intact where possible.

   

2. Step 2Divide the trio

   Split into three 200 g portions. Slice 12 g garlic and shred 10 g ginger. Prepare a steamer and a small saucepan of water before cooking.

   

3. Step 3Start the garlic stir-fry

   Heat 2 tsp neutral oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir for 10–15 seconds until fragrant without browning deeply.

   

4. Step 4Toss the first portion

   Add the first 200 g portion, stems first for 30 seconds, then the leaves. Toss for 1–2 minutes until just tender; season with the salt and transfer to a plate.

   

5. Step 5Set up the ginger steam

   Put the second 200 g portion on a small heatproof plate in a steamer. Scatter the ginger over it and cover; the plate sits above, not in, the water.

   

6. Step 6Steam until just tender

   Steam for about 3–5 minutes, depending on stem thickness. Lift out carefully and spoon 1 tsp light soy over the greens and their juices.

   

7. Step 7Briefly blanch the last portion

   Bring fresh water to a boil. Add the last 200 g portion stems-first, then leaves; blanch for 45–90 seconds, until tender-crisp. Drain thoroughly.

   

8. Step 8Dress and serve

   Mix 1 tsp sesame oil with 1 tsp light soy and spoon over the blanched greens. Add sesame seeds to taste. Serve all three hot, or repeat one method for the whole batch.

   

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Why this version works

• Wash between the stems: hidden grit is the most common unpleasant surprise.
• Cook stems slightly before leaves in the stir-fry so both finish together.
• Use a steamer plate to catch the ginger juices rather than boiling their flavour away.
• Drain blanched bok choy before dressing it, so the sauce sticks instead of pooling.

Swaps and variations

• Lite, lower-oil stir-fry: reduce the stir-fry oil to 1 tsp and add 1 tbsp water with the stems. Prepare the ginger-steamed portion as written.
• One method only: use all 600 g greens and multiply that method’s seasonings by three. Cook in batches if needed.
• Store unwashed greens dry in the fridge and wash just before cooking. Use promptly and discard slimy leaves.

Nutrition per serve

Calculated by Umall using FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database (AFCD) Release 3 (CC BY 4.0), based on 600 g trimmed greens divided into 3 side servings. The calculation uses 10 ml neutral oil (9.2 g), 5 ml sesame oil (4.6 g) and 10 ml soy sauce (12 g). The 0.5 g salt adds 193.8 mg sodium across the batch. Sesame seed garnish is excluded. Values are estimates and vary with the brands you use.

Questions about Bok Choy 3 Ways: Garlic Stir-Fry

Sources and credit

Method adapted by the Umall recipe team from Chinese home-style garlic stir-frying, ginger steaming and blanching, with reference to the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation’s Asian greens guidance (listed below). Quantities are our own, scaled for Australian kitchens and Umall products.

• Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation: Asian greens

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