Name: Bok Choy With Garlic and Oyster Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon canola oil; 16 ounces bok choy (or baby bok choy); 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon shaoxing wine or dry sherry; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; ground black pepper to taste

There’s no delivery required for this delicious and easy Bok Choy With Garlic and Oyster Sauce Recipe! This is a quick stir fry recipe that only takes 10 minutes to make from start to finish. Pour the sauce over rice and enjoy!

I used to spend a lot of money on delivery. Yep – I was one of those people who used to order take out 3-4 times a week thinking it was cheaper than to cook for one.

But that changed when I moved to New York where ordering food from a normal, no frills Chinese restaurant, was anything but cheap. A simple fried rice will cost you about $10 and any vegetable stir fried dishes, $13 or more.

Being a bok choy lover, I used to order it with garlic and oyster sauce pretty much every single time I did takeout. But that stopped when I started shopping in Chinatown and saw that a bag of baby bok choy only costs $3. That’s when I decided to start making my own bok choy stir fries.

And you know what? It came out tasting even better than the ones I’ve had from restaurants! Here’s a quick tutorial on how to make bok choy with garlic and oyster sauce

What is Bok Choy?

Bok choy, also called pak choi or pok choi, is a type of Chinese cabbage. It’s a member of the genus Brassica family so it’s practically a cousin to broccoli and cauliflower. Baby bok choy is a miniature version of the regular size Chinese cabbage.

As for its origins, it is said to be made popular in China around the 5th century AD. A Chinese scientist named Li Shizhen helped make bok choy popular by speaking about its medicinal properties in one of his books. Since then, bok choy has become known as a Chinese cabbage.

How to Prepare Bok Choy

Preparing bok choy is very easy but one thing to look for is dirt. You want to make sure all of the bok choys leaves are clean, otherwise the little grains of dirt will end up ruining your dining experience (no one has ever said “yum!” while chewing on sand).

If you are using baby bok choy, no cutting is needed. For regular size bok choy, trim the end where the leaves connect, or you can just break off the leaves one by one with your hands.
Fill a bowl with water and add the bok choy. While soaking the leaves, rub them to remove all the dirt and transfer them to a strainer.
For baby bok choy, I find it’s easier to clean them one by one under a running tap. That’s because a lot of dirt collects at the bottom, where the bulb is, so you want to make sure to carefully open the bulb and clean between the leaves. Transfer the baby bok choy to a strainer.
Rinse the bok choy and drain well.
Grab a few paper towels and pat the bok choy dry. This step is optional but I find that it helps the bok choy cook faster and be less watery.

Now that your bok choy is ready to cook, let’s take a look at the simple ingredients you will need to make this stir fry.

Ingredients for Bok Choy with Garlic and Oyster Sauce

Garlic: A few minced garlic cloves to give the dish a fragrant aroma and a little sweetness.
Oil: I’m using canola oil but feel free to use other neutral oil such as vegetable oil or grapeseed oil.
Bok choy: Any type of bok choy will work for this recipe. Make sure the leaves are clean by soaking and rinsing them thoroughly.
Oyster sauce: A good oyster is an absolute must whenever you are making oyster sauce based dishes. It shouldn’t too sweet but should definitely be a little pungent. My favorite is Lee Kum Kee.
Shaoxing wine: Shaoxing wine is a little sweet and vinegary, it’s one of those ingredients that makes a dish taste more authentically Chinese. You can use dry sherry as a substitute.
Soy sauce: A little soy sauce to add saltiness and umami.
Ground black pepper: The final touch to round up the flavors and infuse a little heat.

Ingredient Variations

While sauteing bok choy with garlic and oyster sauce is my favorite way to season it, there are other easy ways to play with the flavor. Here are alternative ingredients you can use if you feel like getting creative and shaking things up!

Red pepper flakes, to add a little heat.
Brown sugar, for sweetness.
White pepper for a less floral but stronger pepper taste.
Sesame oil, to add nuttiness.
Rice vinegar, for a more sour taste.
Chopped green onions, to use as a topping.
Adding a chopped bell pepper to saute with the baby bok choy.

How to Make Bok Choy with Garlic and Oyster Sauce

Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients. I like to use small bowls for any measurement less than a tablespoon as it saves counter space.
Prep your bok choy and set it aside.
Fill a medium or large pot with salted water and bring to a boil.
Add the bok choy and blanch for 1 minute.
Drain and rinse the bok choy under cold water. Drain well and transfer the bok choy to a bowl.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil and garlic. Sautee for one minute.
Add the bok choy and the remaining ingredients and toss for 1 minute, or a couple of minutes if you like your bok choy more tender.
Turn the heat off and transfer the dish to a plate. Enjoy!

What to Serve with this Bok Choy Stir Fry

I usually serve this simple stir fry with a side of white rice and a soup. I make this whenever I’m looking for a great way to eat lighter without compromising of flavor. But I also like to pair this easy bok choy recipe with other popular Chinese dishes, such as:

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