Baby bok choy adds sweet twist

The star of stir-fries and a staple in Asian cooking, bok choy lends a delicate, sweet flavor to all sorts of dishes.

Baby bok choy is even more mild and tender than the grown-up version of the vegetable, also known as Chinese cabbage. Plus, it’s cuter in the way that smaller versions of things – baby shoes, baby clothes, miniature ponies, toy poodles – are cuter than their bigger or regular-size counterparts.

Pale green stems give way to dark green leaves rich in antioxidants and low in calories. They’re also high in vitamins C, A and K as well as B-complex vitamins, calcium, potassium, iron and manganese.

Bok choy and baby bok choy can be eaten raw, adding a satisfying crunch to salads and complementing – or even replacing – cabbage in cole slaw. It can also be braised, blanched, steamed, sautéed, grilled and roasted.

Dress it with garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and oyster, hoisin or soy sauces. Sprinkle it with cashews. Pair it with chicken, shrimp, beef or tofu in stir-fries, curries or rice bowls. Add it to Asian-style noodle soups.

Or, opt for a couple of simple and nutritious side dishes, like these.

Sautéed Baby Bok Choy

From Sam Sifton, New York Times Magazine, Jan. 5, 2011

2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like canola

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 1/2-inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced

1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste

4 bunches of baby bok choy, approximately 1 1/2 pounds, cleaned, with the ends trimmed

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chicken stock or water

Toasted sesame oil for drizzling

In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Add garlic, ginger and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.

Add bok choy and stir carefully to cover with oil, then cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, stock or water, then cover pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes more, until steam begins to escape from beneath the lid of the pan.

Uncover and continue to cook until liquid is close to evaporated and stalks are soft to the touch, approximately 3 minutes more.

Remove to a warmed platter and drizzle with sesame oil.

Yield: 4 servings

Baby Bok Choy with Sherry Vinaigrette

From EatingWell, March/April 2015

While sherry vinegar and Dijon may seem like unconventional ingredients, in this healthy Chinese-style stir-fry recipe, they combine to impart a mild Chinese-mustard-like flavor to the dish. It’s so good, you just may find yourself using the sauce on all your favorite sautéed vegetables.

1 pound baby bok choy

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Trim bok choy and separate stems. Rinse under cold water and dry well. Cut the stems into roughly 2-inch pieces (you should have about 4 cups). Keep the leaves whole. Combine vinegar, sesame oil and mustard in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or large heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in peanut oil, add garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the bok choy stems and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the leaves and sprinkle with salt and pepper; stir-fry until the leaves are just limp and bright green, about 30 seconds. Swirl in sherry and stir-fry until the stems are just crisp-tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add the reserved vinegar mixture and toss to combine.

Yield: 4 servings