One of the prettiest vegetables around is Shanghai bok choy. It has a bulbous base, beautiful rounded leaves and delicate shades of green.
Don’t confuse this veggie — also called baby bok choy or petite Shanghai cabbage — with the more common bok choy, with its white stems and dark green leaves.
The size of this vegetable varies greatly, from tiny, which can number 16 to a pound, to larger ones weighing a quarter-pound each.
Now available in almost every market, this variety of Chinese cabbage is sweet, tender and flavorful. Just make sure to wash it well, as it tends to collect dirt near its base.
If you are cooking a protein on an outside grill, try grilling bok choy alongside. Or use an indoor grilling tray or cast-iron skillet to cook the bok choy in a bit of neutral cooking oil.
I like the look of Shanghai bok choy with grill marks, and the taste of it just seasoned with salt. This recipe adds another dimension with a drizzle of easy-to-find Thai sweet chili sauce. It makes an attractive side dish with the red drizzle over the green vegetable.
GRILLED SHANGHAI BOK CHOY WITH THAI SWEET CHILI SAUCE
By Lynette Lo Tom
- 4 large Shanghai bok choy or substitute 16 small bok choy
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste (optional)
- 3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
Trim bottom of bok choy and cut in half lengthwise, being gentle so the halves stay together. Soak in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. Swish the vegetable gently to remove any dirt. Drain well.
In a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan, heat oil on medium-high. Place bok choy in hot skillet and sear until cooked, about 5 minutes, turning once or twice to get grill marks on both sides. You may need to work in batches. (Bok choy may also be cooked on an outdoor grill.)
Arrange cooked bok choy on platter. Sprinkle with salt, if using. Drizzle with sweet chili sauce and serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 2 to 4 as a side dish.
>> Variation: Make this into a vegetarian main dish by adding pre-fried tofu chunks. Warm, slice and arrange them with the vegetables.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving: (not including salt to taste): 80 calories, 2.5 g fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 3 g protein.
”Easy Kine” features simple dishes that start with commercially prepared ingredients. Lynette Lo Tom is excited to hear your tried-and-true suggestions. Contact her at 275-3004, email lynette@brightlightcookery.com or via instagram at brightlightcookery. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
