Easy and crisp baby bok choy recipe to add some green to your dinner in less than 20 minutes
Bok choy is one of my go-to vegetables for a quick weeknight dinner. It is super versatile: you can stir-fry it, make it a soup, or even bake it. If you love your vegetable crisp and fresh, you are going to love this baby bok choy recipe with shiitake mushroom.
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How to make this baby bok choy in oyster sauce?
Ingredients
- 1lbs grams baby bok choy (Chinese lettuce)
- 8 medium-sized dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp of cornstarch
- 1 tsp goji berries (optional)
- 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse and remove the stem when they completely soften. Squeeze to drain the water inside.
- Rinse the baby bok choy 2 or 3 times. Cut off the stems and get rid of any wilted leaves. Use the tip of a knife to slice a cross on the top of each mushroom. Set aside for later.
- Boil a pot of water. Add one teaspoon of rice vinegar and the rinsed bok choy to the pot. Boil it for 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetable starts to soften.
- A short boil time prevents the bok choy from turning yellow and mushy. And the rice vinegar helps to keep the bok choy green.
- Transfer the boiled bok choy to a plate.
- On a pan, heat 1 teaspoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
- When the mushrooms start to turn brown, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 0.5 cups of water. Gently stir for 2 minutes and let the shiitake mushrooms soak up the flavor of the oyster sauce.
- Add goji berries and one teaspoon of cornstarch to the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the sauce on the bok choy. Enjoy!
Vegan alternatives for this bok choy recipe
Because the oyster sauce is made from oyster and dried shiitake mushrooms, this bok choy dish is not vegan or vegetarian-friendly. However, you can switch the regular oyster sauce to vegan oyster sauce to your need.
You can also try making your vegan oyster sauce! Follow this recipe on Rabbit and Wolves. Give it a try and tell me what you think!
What are shiitake mushrooms?
Shiitake mushrooms, or Dong Gu in Mandarin, are among the most common fungi in East Asia. It’s low in calories, rich in dietary fiber and minerals.
It has also been used as traditional Chinese medicine. Because of its aroma and flavor, sometimes it is used in vegan dishes as an imitation of pork or beef. It’s also one of the major ingredients of oyster sauce. That’s why these two also go so well together.
How to cook shiitake mushrooms?
Shiitake mushrooms are my pantry staples for a reason: the aroma enhances the flavor of a dish. And it adds a chewy texture, not to mention that rehydrated shiitakes are so good at absorbing the sauce. A bite and all flavors explode in the mouth.
I’ve used shiitake mushrooms in steamed pork patty and sticky rice dumplings. But you can also add it to rice congée, chop-suey, or a vegetable stir-fry like this.
How to prepare shiitake mushroom?
The ones we see in restaurants are mostly rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. Fresh shiitakes are smoked and dried for flavor and storage.
So the first thing when cooking shiitake mushrooms is to soak them in water. It takes about 20 minutes to soak in warm water and 40 minutes in cool water.
When they are soaked and softened, remove the stem of the mushrooms, and wash thoroughly.
Generally, it takes 8 to 10 minutes to cook shiitake mushrooms. The time varies on the shape of the mushroom and cooking methods. If you want to reduce the cooking time, slice the mushrooms, or chop them into small pieces. The mushrooms will pick up the flavor of the dish and take it to the next level.
Baby Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushroom in Oyster Sauce
Ingredients
- 1lbs grams baby bok choy (Chinese lettuce)
- 8 medium-sized dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp of cornstarch
- 1 tsp goji berries
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
Instructions
- In a bowl, soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse and remove the stem when they completely soften. Squeeze to drain the water inside.
- Rinse the baby bok choy 2 or 3 times. Cut off the stems and get rid of any wilted leaves. Use the tip of a knife to slice a cross on the top of each mushroom. Set aside for later.
- Boil a pot of water. Add one teaspoon of rice vinegar and the rinsed bok choy to the pot. Boil it for 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetable starts to soften. Transfer the boiled bok choy to a plate.
- On a pan, heat 1 teaspoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
- When the mushrooms start to turn brown, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 0.5 cups of water. Gently stir for 2 minutes and let the shiitake mushrooms soak up the flavor of the oyster sauce.
- Add goji berries and one teaspoon of cornstarch to the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the sauce on the bok choy. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 108Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 574mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Have you made this recipe?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Feel free to pose any questions or ideas too.
Check out more easy bok choy recipes for dinner.
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