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Hot and Sour Bok Choy

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 6

Hot and Sour Bok Choy

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds bok choy, rinsed thoroughly, stems and leaves separated; stems trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces, leaves torn into large pieces1 tablespoon vegetable oil or peanut oil4 small whole dried red chiles, cut into ¼-inch lengths and seeds removed2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine or sake

Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce ¾ teaspoon table salt 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 ¼ teaspoons black Chinese vinegar or Worcestershire sauce1 teaspoon cornstarch

Before You Begin

Bok choy keeps for four to five days, loosely wrapped in plastic, although the leaves may become a bit limp. Remove tough outer leaves before using. This dish is spicy. For a milder version, reduce the number of chiles to two.

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 gallon water to boiling and add bok choy stems. Boil until nearly tender, 1 to 2 minutes; drain. Place under cold running water until cool and drain again. Mix together sauce ingredients.
  2. Heat a wok or skillet until very hot; add oil and heat until smoking. Add the chile peppers and stir-fry over high heat for about 20 seconds. Remove peppers with a slotted spoon and discard. Add ginger shreds and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add cabbage stems and leaves; stir-fry over high heat until leaves wilt, about 1 minute. Add rice wine and stir-fry for 45 seconds longer. Add the sauce and, stirring to prevent lumps, cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.
Hot and Sour Bok Choy

Hot and Sour Bok Choy

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds bok choy, rinsed thoroughly, stems and leaves separated; stems trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces, leaves torn into large pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or peanut oil
4 small whole dried red chiles, cut into ¼-inch lengths and seeds removed
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 ½ tablespoons rice wine or sake

Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons black Chinese vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds bok choy, rinsed thoroughly, stems and leaves separated; stems trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces, leaves torn into large pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or peanut oil
4 small whole dried red chiles, cut into ¼-inch lengths and seeds removed
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 ½ tablespoons rice wine or sake

Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons black Chinese vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds bok choy, rinsed thoroughly, stems and leaves separated; stems trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces, leaves torn into large pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or peanut oil
4 small whole dried red chiles, cut into ¼-inch lengths and seeds removed
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 ½ tablespoons rice wine or sake

Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons black Chinese vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Why This Recipe Works

For properly cooked bok choy, we separated the stems and leaves, trimmed the stems and cut them diagonally into 2-inch pieces, and tore the leaves into large pieces.

Before You Begin

Bok choy keeps for four to five days, loosely wrapped in plastic, although the leaves may become a bit limp. Remove tough outer leaves before using. This dish is spicy. For a milder version, reduce the number of chiles to two.

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 gallon water to boiling and add bok choy stems. Boil until nearly tender, 1 to 2 minutes; drain. Place under cold running water until cool and drain again. Mix together sauce ingredients.
  2. Heat a wok or skillet until very hot; add oil and heat until smoking. Add the chile peppers and stir-fry over high heat for about 20 seconds. Remove peppers with a slotted spoon and discard. Add ginger shreds and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add cabbage stems and leaves; stir-fry over high heat until leaves wilt, about 1 minute. Add rice wine and stir-fry for 45 seconds longer. Add the sauce and, stirring to prevent lumps, cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.

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