Ginger Bok Choy

 

Ingredients

• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled
• 3/4 lb Shanghai bok choy or other baby bok choy (5 to 8 heads)
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

• Special equipment: a rasp grater; a well-seasoned 14-inch flat-bottomed wok
• Accompaniment: steamed white rice

 

Preparation

Cut half of ginger into very fine matchsticks (less than 1/8 inch thick; about 1 tablespoon) and reserve. Grate remaining ginger and squeeze pulp with your fingers to yield 1 teaspoon liquid, then discard pulp.

Remove any bruised or withered outer leaves from bok choy. Trim 1/8 inch from bottom of each bok choy, then cut each head into quarters. Wash bok choy in several changes of cold water and dry in a colander or salad spinner until dry to the touch.

Whisk together ginger juice, chicken broth, rice wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved.

Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add ginger matchsticks and stir-fry 5 seconds. Add bok choy and stir-fry until leaves are bright green and just limp, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir broth mixture, then pour into wok and stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and drizzle with sesame oil, then stir to coat.

After a day at the Science Museum, we snacked in Hyde Park by the Albert Memorial before strolling past the Princess Diana Memorial fountain, all the way up Portolbello Road for Chinese food at a restaurant near Ladbroke Grove on Friday, August 16, 2013.