Photo: Natalie Good (the veganette)
All vegetables are not created equal. Your taste buds will thank you for giving your baby bok choy the special attention it deserves.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
It’s easy to forget that each vegetable has its own beautiful chemistry, which responds differently to heat, pressure, steam and oil. By customizing her cooking strategies on a case-by-case basis to bring out the best in every food, Molly Katzen challenged my boring steam-and-saute rituals with her book, The Vegetable Dishes I Couldn’t Live Without.
It’s been a real game-changer in my kitchen.
Prepared with sensitivity to its unique personality, this garlic, red pepper and sesame-infused baby bok choy is delicious with pasta or, as served here, atop fresh bean curd swimming in homemade dashi broth.
Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby bok choy
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, halved
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper
- Sea salt, to taste
Cooking Directions
- To toast the sesame seeds, place a dry frying pan over medium heat until hot (about 3 minutes). Add the seeds, stirring constantly. When they become golden, transfer to a bowl.
- To prepare the bok choy, heat sesame oil over medium heat until hot. Then add garlic and red pepper, stirring often for about 3 minutes.
- Arrange one layer of bok choy face down in the pan. When one side has browned, transfer to a covered dish while you repeat the process with the rest of your bok choy.
- Toss bok choy with sea salt and toasted seeds and serve immediately.
