Description
This quick bok choy and mushroom stir fry is a flavorful and healthy dish perfect for a speedy weekday dinner. Tender brown mushrooms and crisp baby bok choy are cooked in a gingery, garlicky brown sauce with a touch of heat from dried Chinese chili peppers, making it both comforting and satisfying. It can be served as a side or a main course over steamed rice and is vegan and gluten-free adaptable by using tamari and gluten-free oyster sauce.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Slurry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Stir-Fry
- 1 lb baby bok choy, cut to large bite-size pieces
- Pinch of salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 lb brown mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
- 4 dried Chinese chili peppers
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, minced
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the water, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, ground black pepper, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Make the slurry: In another small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water until fully combined. Set aside.
- Steam the bok choy: Heat 1/4 cup of water in a large skillet over medium-high heat until boiling. Add the baby bok choy and sprinkle a pinch of salt over it. Cover the pan and steam for 30 seconds. Uncover and stir the bok choy, then cover again and steam another 30 seconds until softened. Transfer bok choy to a large platter.
- Cook the mushrooms: Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil and heat over high heat. Add the mushrooms and let them sear undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are browned and no juice remains in the pan.
- Sauté aromatics and chili peppers: Push mushrooms to one side of the pan. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to the empty side. Add dried Chinese chili peppers, minced garlic, minced ginger, and sliced green onions. Stir occasionally until chili peppers turn dark red, then mix everything together.
- Combine and finish: Return the steamed bok choy to the pan. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir to combine. Cook for 30 seconds. Stir the slurry again to make sure cornstarch is dissolved, then swirl it into the pan. Cook while stirring until the sauce thickens. Transfer the stir-fry to a large plate and serve hot, either as a side or over steamed rice as a main dish.
Notes
- To make this dish gluten-free, substitute tamari for soy sauce and use gluten-free oyster sauce instead of vegetarian oyster sauce.
- Use peanut oil or any high smoke point oil for best stir-fry results.
- Adjust chili peppers to taste for desired spice level or omit if sensitive to heat.
- Ensure mushrooms are cooked over high heat for proper searing and flavor development.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the crisp texture of the bok choy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
