I just whipped this up for lunch, and I loved how it turned out so much that I wanted to hop on and share!  This recipe is very simple but full of flavor, and was a very nice, light lunch.  A perfect combination of garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and chili crisp made the bok choy taste salty, savory, spicy, and warm.  This recipe would make a great light lunch or a lovely side dish for dinner, so consider this a great option the next time a bundle of bok choy comes your way in your CSA box!

This recipe uses fish sauce, which I’ve been loving recently to add a nice, fermenty funk to foods.  I understand that some people do not like fish sauce for flavor, allergen, or vegan reasons, which is totally fair.  A little soy sauce, miso, or liquid aminos would be a good replacement for the fish sauce if you don’t have any on-hand.  The chili crisp is also optional if you are adverse to spice, but I think it’s a very nice touch that works well with this dish.

This came together for me in a matter of 5 or so minutes, so it’s a great little dish to keep in your back pocket.  I’ll link some other nice veggie sides or warm salads below the recipe for you to check out if this is your vibe (it very much is mine!).

Recipe down below, photo up top!  This was enough for a light lunch for one, but feel free to scale up for a nice dinner side!

Simple Sautéed Bok Choy

Ingredients:

• 3 large heads of bok choy
  • Or, 6 heads of baby bok choy
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large clove of garlic, sliced thin
• 1 tsp ginger, sliced thin
• ½ tsp fish sauce
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili crisp

Method:

1. Thinly slice garlic clove and ginger.
2. Wash and dry bok choy in a colander over the sink.  Remove the root end (opposite of the leaf end) by cutting across (cross-wise), and cut the stems and leaves of the bok choy into large, bite-sized pieces.
3. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the bok choy, and use tongs to fully toss in with the oil, garlic, and ginger.  Allow to cook over medium-high heat until bok choy is fully wilted and becoming tender, about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.
5. Turn the pan off of the heat, add fish sauce and salt to the bok choy, toss to combine.
6. Move the cooked bok choy to a clean plate.  Top with dollops of chili crisp.
7. Grab a fork and enjoy!

Inspired?  Try these similar dishes that also harness the powers of sautéed greens!

• Egg Toast with Sautéed Arugula
• Sautéed Greens with Labneh and Chili Crisp