If you’re a bok choy lover like me, you should try this bok choy recipe with savory oyster sauce and mushrooms. This dish is nourishing and bursting with flavor that compliments well with rice or on its own. Have it for lunch or dinner, either as a side dish or main dish.
- What Makes Bok Choy Oyster Sauce Great
- How To Store And Reheat Bok Choy With Oyster Sauce
- Useful Tips For Bok Choy With Oyster Sauce
- Kitchenware And Ingredients To Make Bok Choy Oyster Sauce
- How To Make Bok Choy With Oyster Sauce And Mushrooms
What Makes Bok Choy Oyster Sauce Great?
Let’s break it down as to why bok choy with oyster sauce and mushrooms is a must-try. Personally, a healthy dish is what attracts me most before its taste. What makes this dish great is its health benefits.
First of all, bok choy is highly nutritious and delicious. It is a Chinese cabbage that is low in calories and carbohydrates. You get the vitamins and minerals you need that are beneficial for a healthy heart and bones.
Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in antioxidants. Bok choy is considered a superfood that boosts our eye health and immune system. On top of that, it promotes healthy skin because of its Vitamin C content.
Aside from bok choy, mushrooms are also good for your health. Mushrooms help decrease your risk of getting cancer, lower cholesterol levels, and support brain health. You can eat mushrooms daily as they are low in calories while rich in fiber, protein, and antioxidants.
How To Store And Reheat Bok Choy With Oyster Sauce
I always recommend serving bok choy with oyster sauce while hot and fresh, especially sauces with cornstarch. This dish contains cornstarch slurry to make the sauce thick. When you refrigerate it, it will solidify and become like jelly.
You can loosen the sauce and make it saucy again by reheating it in a pan or microwave. Make sure to stir continuously when reheating in a pan. The microwave is also another good option for reheating, but the sauce will not be as smooth as a freshly cooked sauce.
Bok choy oyster sauce can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. You can also keep it in the freezer for a longer shelf life. However, remember that the quality and texture are affected the longer it stays in the freezer.
Useful Tips For Bok Choy With Oyster Sauce
There are a few ways to get the best results of bok choy with oyster sauce. The taste and texture ultimately depend on several factors, from picking vegetables to cooking techniques. Moreover, the ingredients you use can affect the overall outcome.
- Bok choy: You can use either baby bok choy or regular bok choy. When picking out bok choy, choose the freshest one with green leaves and a white stem. Avoid bok choy with brown or yellow leaves. Store fresh bok choy in the fridge in a zipper bag with holes for air circulation or in a jar of cold water. Do not wash the bok choy leaves when storing them in the refrigerator, as this can wilt because of the absorbed moisture. You can also keep it in the freezer in a freezer bag for 8 to 12 months. Before storing in the freezer, clean the vegetables using damp paper towels.
- Mushroom: Any kind of mushroom will work for this recipe. There may be a slight difference in taste and texture, depending on the type of mushroom you choose. Portobello mushrooms are dense and meaty, while button mushrooms are earthy and nutty. Mushrooms like oyster mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms add a hint of seafood. Try fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms if you want a smoky, umami taste.
- Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce is used as the base sauce for this dish. It gives the dish a taste of soy sauce and barbecue sauce. You can substitute oyster sauce with hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, kecap manis, Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce and sugar, oyster-flavored sauce, or fish sauce if you don’t have oyster sauce.
- Garlic: The dish can be prepared without garlic cloves if you don’t have them. Alternatively, you can substitute 1 clove of garlic with 1/8 tsp of garlic powder or 1/4 tsp of granulated garlic. This will give you the garlicky flavor without the chunks of garlic cloves.
- Light soy sauce: Soy sauce deepens the flavor and adds some salty flavors. You can use dark soy sauce as a substitute, but you may have to play around with the quantity and adjust to taste. If you don’t have soy sauce, use tamari, liquid aminos, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce.
- Cornstarch slurry: Cornstarch is important in this dish to thicken the sauce. Without a thickening agent, the sauce will be watery and not creamy. The cornstarch slurry is made by mixing 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water (1:2 ratio). If you don’t have cornstarch, you can substitute 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of tapioca flour or 1 tbsp of potato starch.
- Sugar: The sugar will balance out the salty flavors of oyster sauce and soy sauce. You can use any type of sweetener, including brown sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar.
- Oil: You can use any cooking oil you have in your pantry. If I’m going to fry or bake something, I prefer avocado or olive oil. For an extra nutty flavor, you can try using sesame oil as well. The bottom line, just about any type of oil will do.
Kitchenware And Ingredients To Make Bok Choy Oyster Sauce
The ingredients for this recipe are common grocery items, so they are super easy to find and buy. Plus, you only need a pan or pot to cook the vegetables and stir the sauce. Here’s what you need to start cooking:
Kitchenware
- Pot or pan for boiling and mixing the sauce
- Spatula for stirring
Ingredients
For boiling
- A pack of bok choy
- Your choice of mushrooms (thinly sliced)
- Water
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tsp salt
For stir-frying
- 1 tbsp oil
- 50g minced garlic
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 50ml cornstarch slurry
How To Make Bok Choy With Oyster Sauce And Mushrooms
Before proceeding with the recipe steps, check out my short tutorial video on Instagram and Tiktok. In this recipe, the steps involve preparing the bok choy and mushrooms by chopping and boiling them. Then, the last step is mixing the sauce and pouring it over the bok choy.
Prepare the bok choy and mushrooms
Prepare the bok choy by cleaning it with water and cutting the base to break off the leaves. You should be able to separate each leaf easily.
Then, prepare the mushrooms by cutting them into thin slices.
Next, put water in a pan or pot and bring to a boil. Once the water boils, add 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp salt and stir.
Afterward, add the bok choy and boil for 30 seconds. Then, take out the bok choy and drain. In the same pan, cook the sliced mushrooms for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, take out the mushrooms and drain.
Prepare the sauce
Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add 50g minced garlic, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 tsp sugar. Mix the sauce well.
Then, stir the 50ml cornstarch slurry again before adding it to the sauce.
Stir the sauce well until it thickens. Prepare your bok choy on a serving plate and pour the savory sauce with mushrooms on top.
Serve bok choy oyster sauce with rice or with a main dish such as Air Fryer Wontons, Yu Choy Sum, or Tofu With Minced Pork & Mushrooms.
Bok Choy With Savory Oyster Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Pot or pan for boiling and mixing the sauce
- Spatula for stirring
Ingredients
For boiling
- A pack of bok choy
- Your choice of mushrooms thinly sliced
- Water
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tsp salt
For stir-frying
- 1 tbsp oil
- 50 g minced garlic
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 50 ml cornstarch slurry
Instructions
Prepare the bok choy and mushrooms
- Prepare the bok choy by cleaning it with water and cutting the base to break off the leaves. You should be able to separate each leaf easily.
- Then, prepare the mushrooms by cutting them into thin slices.
- Next, put water in a pan or pot and bring to a boil.
- Once the water boils, add 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp salt and stir.
- Afterward, add the bok choy and boil for 30 seconds.
- Then, take out the bok choy and drain.
- In the same pan, cook the sliced mushrooms for 30 seconds.
- After 30 seconds, take out the mushrooms and drain.
Prepare the sauce
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add 50g minced garlic, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 tsp sugar.
- Mix the sauce well.
- Then, stir the 50ml cornstarch slurry again before adding it to the sauce.
- Stir the sauce well until it thickens.
- Prepare your bok choy on a serving plate and pour the savory sauce with mushrooms on top.
- Serve bok choy oyster sauce with rice or with a main dish such as Air Fryer Wontons, Yu Choy Sum, or Tofu With Minced Pork & Mushrooms.
