Stir-Fried Bok Choy with Roasted Peanuts
A simple preparation for a vegetable that, when fresh, is sweet and delicious. From the cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. I like to serve this with noodles for a little more filling meal.
A simple preparation for a vegetable that, when fresh, is sweet and delicious. From the cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. I like to serve this with noodles for a little more filling meal.
- Carbohydrate 28.8106674101447 g
- Cholesterol 1.34999999885878 mg
- Fat 25.1766429713835 g
- Fiber 6.31273654904113 g
- Protein 35.2054989533636 g
- Saturated Fat 4.17200276562766 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (679g)
- Sodium 14365.7344026289 mg
- Sugar 22.4979308611036 g
- Trans Fat 1.50214873288395 g
- Calories 450 calories
Step-by-step
- Fry the peanuts in the roasted peanut oil until golden, then chop with red pepper flakes and few pinches of salt and set aside.
- In a wok, heat the peanut oil. Saute the garlic and ginger just until fragrant, then add bok choy stems and leaves. Stir fry a minute, then add soy sauce and cornstarch mixture, stir-frying until the leaves are shiny and glazed. Add the crushed peanuts, toss and serve.
Controlling the heat when frying raw peanuts in roasted peanut oil prevents bitter scorching; remove them from the pan the moment they turn golden. Raw nuts contain high moisture and sugars that burn quickly compared to pre-roasted varieties, so keep the heat at a moderate level and stir continuously until a deep amber color develops. Rapid high-heat wok cooking demands that all aromatics, liquids, and vegetables be measured and arranged near the stove before the flame is ignited.
Scaling this dish upward requires caution because home burners struggle to maintain BTUs when overloaded with heavy mass. Doubling the ingredient quantities means cooking the bok choy in two distinct batches rather than crowding the wok, which traps steam and causes the stems to turn soggy instead of retaining their crisp bite. Working in smaller volumes preserves the necessary surface evaporation required for proper glazing.
Quick stir-fries trace their origins to traditional Chinese cooking methods designed to maximize fuel efficiency and preserve nutritional integrity through brief thermal exposure. Slicing the bok choy stems diagonally increases surface area, allowing the soy sauce and cornstarch slurry to coat every piece evenly during the final minute of tossing. Separating the thick stems from the delicate leaves ensures both components finish cooking simultaneously without oversoftening the leafy portions.
Leftovers do not hold well due to the high water content of the greens, which continues to release moisture upon standing in the refrigerator. Consume the dish immediately while the peanut crunch contrasts sharply against the tenderized stalks and glossy leaves.
