Baby bok choi with Chinese oyster sauce

perfect bok choi,
originally uploaded by Scott Schalin.

Sunday morning Dim Sum in downtown LA has become something of an irregular pilgrimage, having tried nearly every dumpling station from Alhambra through the heart of Chinatown.

Although the tiny dim sum fare can be hit or miss, there is one order from the squeaky stainless carts that remains a consistently delicious constant: the Chinese broccoli. So crisp, so tender, so alive with flavor; it’s no wonder Chinese children gladly eat their vegetables.

What makes Chinese vegies so delicious is the oyster sauce. Thick, rich, salty, yet also tantalizingly sweet, we really order the broccoli for the sauce. We’ve been trying to master the essence of that sauce and this trial-and-error recipe is as close as we’ve come to nailing Mama-son’s homemade version. Drizzle over Chinese (or even American) broccoli or, our favorite, baby bok choi.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 heads baby bok choi
1-inch fresh gingerroot, cut into thin slices
2 T oyster sauce
3 T chicken broth
1 T dry sherry
1 t cornstarch
2 t water
¼ C water
Drizzle of peanut or olive oil
1 T soy sauce

Prep:
Cut the baby boks in half down the middle and wash the hell out of them while making sure they remain intact and the leaves don’t separate.

Combine the oyster sauce, broth and sherry in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 2 t water. Stir the ingredients in each tiny bowl and set aside.

Cook:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl the oil so the surface is covered then drop in the ginger slices. Let those cook for about 1 minute until the ginger starts giving off a fragrance.

Toss in the bok choi halves and let pan fry for about 1 minute. Now dump in the ¼ C water and the soy. Cover and cook on medium low until the veges start to wilt, about 5 minutes.

Remove the cover and remove the bok choi to a plate. Add the oyster sauce combination to the pan and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.

When thick enough to stick to the spoon, pour the sauce over the bok choi and serve immediately. Close your eyes…it’s Sunday morning and the flavor of the day has just begun.

Tags: bok choi, broccoli, chinese, dim sum, ginger, oyster sauce, vegetables