Garlic Bok Choy

I think it might be time for me to share something a bit healthier, in the spirit of the new year. I've just been sharing whatever I want, willy nilly, giving no thought to the majority of people out there who are trying to be more health conscious. Well, I'm taking a break from my normal day-to-day decadence to share a simple bok choy preparation. Bok choy is one of my favorite vegetables. It's got a yummy crunchy stalk, a tender leaf, and since it doesn't have much inherent flavor, it can be amped up however you like. Personally, I like it simply sautéed with a decent amount of garlic, and that's what I'm sharing today.

Ingredients:
2 or 3 small heads of baby bok choy
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Start by ripping apart the leaves and giving the bok choy a good rinse. Often times, dirt and sand can get trapped between the leaves (this is common with vegetables with this sort of layered leaf structure). Unless you like grit, you'll want to thoroughly wash the bok choy. I also take the time to split some of the larger leaves in half, lengthwise, just to make them a more sensible size for eating.

Next, chop up some garlic. I like biting into larger garlic pieces so I just give the cloves a smash and then a rough chop. If you're not a fan of biting into large pieces, you can certainly finely mince instead. And, if you're not a fan of biting into garlic at all, but you still like the flavor, just smash a few cloves and leave them as large pieces that can be fished out later.

To cook, heat up a large skillet with about a tablespoon of oil over a medium flame. Let the garlic sizzle for a few minutes until the edges start to brown up. The oil will become infused with lots of garlic flavor. Once the garlic starts to brown, add in the bok choy. Stand back, as the oil may splatter a little.

Let the bok choy cook for a few minutes. Once the thin green leaves start to wilt, sprinkle in a little salt. When the stalks just start to soften a bit, they're ready to eat. I like when the stalk is still slightly crunchy.

Serve the bok choy while it's still warm.

We had the bok choy with longanisa meatballs, eggplant with garlic sauce, and a duck stirfry (which was just thrown together with some leftover crispy duck from a previous meal). We also had a Thai-style soup. I'll be sharing the soup recipe tomorrow. Fake take out is great; no MSG and you don't even need to change out of your PJs.

Here's the recipe page: