Thai Up Your Kitchen With Bok Choy
March 14, 2013
My family recently joined a local produce co-op called Bountiful Baskets. A produce co-op is a fantastic way to be introduced to new and exciting fruits and veggies. Most co-ops offer members the ability to use their buying power as a group to purchase products at wholesale or deeply discounted rates. This means you will get more bang for your buck in a co-op. Many local co-ops also will do their best to source products locally and from small farms so that the farmers get their fair share of the profits. This week in my basket I received a giant bundle of Bok Choy. Bok Choy is not something I would typically purchase so I was anxious to try it out. I have found that I actually love this Chinese cabbage and it is incredibly versatile. Here are a couple of the phenomenal recipes we tried out this week.
Asian Pork Chops With Bok Choy
This recipe really takes pork chops and kicks it up a notch. It has a distinct Thai flare and isn’t overly spicy. Children and adults both loved this dish.
Ingredients:
- Pork chops
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 4 cups chopped Bok Choy (use stem and greens)
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup chopped asparagus tips
- 4 green onions chopped (greens and whites)
- Olive oil
Directions:
Mix the honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Dip the pork chops in the mixture until they are thoroughly covered. You can also brush the mixture on if easier. Grill the pork chops on each side until the glaze is darkened. Do not leave on the grill or stove top too long or the glaze will burn. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pork chops in the oven for approximately 10 minutes.
Meanwhile add a little olive oil to a skillet or wok and heat. Add in the vegetables and remaining glaze to the skillet and cook on high heat. You should treat the vegetables as a stir fry and cook high heat till tender. You may want to add additional soy sauce, vinegar, or sesame oil to the veggies depending on your tastes.
Remove the pork chops from the oven and serve with the stir fry vegetables on the side.
Bok Choy and Garlic Sauce
This recipe is perfect for vegans or vegetarians and also makes a fantastic side dish to any Thai-themed meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 heads of Bok Choy
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce*
- 2 tablespoons Thai Chili Sauce*
- 2 tablespoons honey
Directions:
Mix the sauce ingredients and honey in a small bowl until combined. Heat a skillet or wok and drop in the coconut oil. Heat the oil until melted. Add in the Bok Choy stems (white part) and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Next add in the Bok Choy leaves (green portion) with the sauce. Stir fry until all is heated approximately 2 minutes. Remove from stove and enjoy.
*You can find the fish and chili sauce in the Asian food section of the grocery store or from your local Asian grocer.
These are just a couple of ways that you can utilize Bok Choy in your kitchen. Are you familiar with Bok Choy? What is your favorite recipe?
