Sometimes I like to make a meal out of whatever’s in the fridge and/or pantry. This ginger bok choy stir fry, based loosely on a recipe a fellow yoga teacher from Vancouver shared with me 15 years ago, is simple and well balanced. In Ayurvedic parlance, it feels very sattvic.
Bok choy is a somewhat spicy dark green leafy vegetable. Like all dark green leafy veggies, it’s packed with nutrients. Spring is a good time of year to find tender baby bok choy. Snap it up if you can find it, but mature bok choy works just fine here too.
If you want to add extra protein, you can sprinkle in some frozen edamame whenever you add the bok choy leaves.
The secret to a successful stir fry is to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time. Once you have all the ingredients ready to go, the stir fry takes very little time and it’s important to keep your hands as free as possible so that you can stir it frequently. Having everything ready and in separate bowls makes the process super easy.
Ginger Bok Choy Stir Fry makes for a quick, nutritious weeknight meal.
Meatless Monday: Ginger Bok Choy Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 small to medium onion, cut in half and sliced thinly
- 2 large or 3 small heads bok choy, sliced in 1-inch slices (Separate the white stems from the leaves)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1/2-inch knob of ginger, minced
- 2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen edamame (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons shoyu, or to taste
- 6 oz. soba noodles
Put it together:
- Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to boiling. When you’re 5-8 minutes from finishing the stir fry (time it according to the package directions), add the soba noodles.
- Chop the onions and bok choy, putting them in separate bowls, including separating the bok choy’s white stems from the green leaves.
- Mince the garlic and ginger and put them together in a container.
- Slice the shiitake mushrooms and place in another container.
- If you’re using edamame, measure it into another bowl.
- Heat the sesame oil in a wok on medium-high. When the oil is hot, add the onions and stir fry for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the white parts of the bok choy and stir for another 3-5 minutes, until they start to soften.
- This might be a good time to add the soba noodles to the boiling water. Cook until done and then drain in a colander.
- Add the shiitake mushrooms, bok choy leaves and edamame. Stir them into the wok, turn the heat down to medium and cover. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the shoyu and let it cook for another minute.
- Serve over the soba noodles.