Learning how to cook bok choy perfectly is learning to cook a staple Asian ingredient. When you learn how to cook it, you know how to cook hundreds of dishes with different varieties. Bok choy is often known as the Chinese white cabbage.
Bok Choy is a vegetable cultivated since the 5th century in China. One of the reasons bok choy is so popular is because of its nutrients. It helps with cardiovascular health and heart health. On top of that, it adds a unique flavor to every recipe because it's similar to tasting like celery. But how do you make bok choy? What food does it complement?
This guide covers everything you need to know about bok choy and why it's one of the healthiest and tastiest food ingredients. We look at how to cook with bok choy with different dishes. Overall, you'll better understand what bok choy is and what it does for you.
How to Cook Bok Choy: The Basics
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Before you choose to recipe with bok choy to cook with, you need to figure out if you need baby or large mature stalks. You must also figure out the recipe for this bok choy.
Another part of preparing your meal is knowing what kind of bok choy to select from the store. For starters, you want to make sure it's firm. Another critical piece of eating bok choy is making sure it's white. If you see brown spots, it typically means it's going bad.
When you're ready to cook with them, you want to wash any dirt or debris you might see on them. You can give them a good rinse under the faucet before using them.
The next step in preparation is cutting any of the green leaves off the bok choy. After that, you cut the chalk into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces. You also want to ensure you cut off the root of the bok choy.
Stir Fry Bok Choy
For optimal browning, stir fry is the best choice for bok choy. After cutting it up, add two tablespoons of olive oil and the bok choy. You'll stir it constantly until the bok choy starts to brown. You'll do this continuously, flipping them repeatedly until you've found a good browning on both sides.
To give it more flavor, you should consider adding these sauces and toppings to the stir fry:
- Chicken, beef, or pork
- Garlic, sesame oil, ginger, and soy sauce
- Chili oil, rice vinegar, vegetable broth, and sugar
Mixing these pieces will create a more robust flavor that gives the bok choy something beyond itself. It also gives it more filling.
Another way to eat bok choy with stir fry is with noodles. This also gives it more texture and variety when you're cooking it.
Bok Choy Wonton Soup
Another way to use bok choy is with wonton soup. Add cut-up pieces of bok choy to your wonton soup to add flavor.
- 3 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced thin
- 1/2 clove minced garlic
- 10 mini frozen wontons
- 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 2 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise and halved
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Scallions, sliced green parts only for garnish
This is just one recipe for wonton soup that has bok choy. You can also look for other recipes with more spiciness or sweetness.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the most common mistakes when cooking with a bok choy is not recognizing the brown spots on the bok choy. You also want to avoid stalks that are skimpy and slimy. This is typically a sign that it's bad and getting worse.
Another mistake is not properly rinsing the bok choy. Before using it, ensure you've cleaned all the dirt from the bok choy. Not properly cleaning it could contaminate the food you're eating.
Health Benefits of Bok Choy
When you start eating bok choy, you'll start to get many of the health benefits that come with it. There are tremendous benefits that range from heart health to skin health.
Here are the best health benefits you get from eating bok choy
- Improves bone health.
- Boosts your overall health and immunity.
- Improves vision.
- Promotes cardiac functioning.
- Improves skin health.
- Lowers the risk of cancer.
- Combats Inflammation.
How to Cook Bok Choy: The Steps to Take
Bok choy is one of the most popular foods in Asian culture for a reason. Its unique flavor and numerous health benefits make it one of the best foods to add to your diet. It's also a vegetable with so many advantages in that it can be used for various purposes, from soups to stir fry.
Overall, this guide shows you the different ways to use bok choy. Learning to incorporate it into your dishes effectively can give them extra flavor. However, there are also more dishes to explore if you don't prefer stir fry or soup. The key is to try different recipes and see what you like the most.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/Chiyacat.