Sesame Grilled Baby Bok choy is a quick and delicious side dish. Lightly grilling these small, delicate bundles and finishing with fragrant sesame oil brings out a world of flavor and adds color and crunch to any meal.
Side Dishes for our meals are sometimes kind of an afterthought. They take a backseat to our protein that we think of as the center of the plate, but they are really important to having a complete meal experience and a healthy diet.
Exciting vegetable side dishes are more likely to get eaten, and they don't have to take long to prepare. This Baby Bok Choy recipe is a very easy dish to prepare and will definitely elevate your vegetable side dish game.
Make this recipe, because…
You may have seen these pretty bundles in the produce aisle, but weren't really sure what to do with them. They show up regularly in Asian cuisine. This recipe has cooking tips and how to clean it as well.
The beauty of baby bok choy is that the leaves are so sweet and delicate that they really don't need much help to be delicious. Just add some sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper to bring out the natural flavor.
They cook up very quickly, so this is a great way to add a leafy green to any weeknight meal.
This can be made on an outdoor grill, grill pan, or even a griddle.
Learning a simple recipe like this opens a world of possibility for using these delicious greens in the future.
Ingredients
Baby Bok Choy- A more dainty member of the cabbage family that when cooked has a subtly sweet flavor and is best served simply.
Sesame Oil- This fragrant oil is perfect for dressing grilled bok choy.
How to Grill Baby Bok Choy
Step 1
- First, remove any leaves on the outside that have been damaged and cut the bundles in half lengthwise and leave the stem or butt intact. Soak halves in a large bowl of cold water to clean.
- Place cleaned baby bok choy on a towel, cut side down, to dry. Pat away any excess water.
- Heat the gas grill or grill pan on a medium-high heat. Brush grill grates or pan with olive oil to prevent sticking and burning.
- Next, lay bok choy stalks on the grill with the cut-side down. Allow these to cook for approximately 3-5 minutes until the bundles are golden brown or show grill marks.
Step 2
- Then, use tongs to turn the bundles over and let cook for another 3-5 minutes on the outside.
- Finally, place the cooked heads of baby bok choy on a serving platter drizzle with sesame oil and lightly season with salt and black pepper.
How to Clean Baby Bok Choy
Like its close cousin cabbage, this green can be prepared in many ways. The main thing to remember is that it needs to be cleaned properly. Unlike a head of cabbage, the Baby Bok Choy leaves have an open structure that can hold dirt.
This means you need to do more than wash the outside.
Cut the bundles in half lengthwise. Then, soak in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. This will clean the leaves and any dirt stuck in between the leaves will come away and sink to the bottom of the bowl.
Place on a towel, cut side down, to dry.
FAQs
Bok choy is related to cabbage, broccoli, and kale. It is a type of Chinese cabbage and is also called Pak Choi or Pok Choi. Baby bok choy is not a different plant. It is instead picked early. The immature plant can be eaten leaf to stem and is less bitter than mature bok choy.
Diana's Tips for Success
I chose a simple drizzle of sesame oil to finish this side dish. However, the grilled baby bok choy can be served with a variety of simple dressings.
Finishing Bok Coy
- Squeeze of Lemon Juice
- Soy Sauce
- Miso Butter
- Rice Vinegar
- Lime Juice
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salad Dressing with Asian Flavors
Related Recipes
- Bacon Fried Rice
- Grilled Teriyaki Steak
- Beef and Broccoli Sheet Pan Lo Mein
- Grilled Peanut Butter Chicken
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📖 Recipe
Baby Bok Choy with Sesame Oil
Equipment
- Griddle Pan or Grill
Ingredients
- 4 Bundles Baby Bok Choy halved
- 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil for finishing
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- Pinch Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds optional
Instructions
- First, remove any leaves on the outside that have been damaged and cut the bundles in half lengthwise and leave the stem or butt intact. Soak halves in a bowl of cold water to clean.
- Place cleaned baby bok choy on a towel, cut side down, to dry. Pat away any excess water.
- Heat the gas grill or grill pan on a medium-high heat. Brush grill grates or pan with olive oil to prevent sticking and burning.
- Next, lay bok choy stalks on the grill with the cut-side down. Allow these to cook for approximately 3 minutes until the bundles are golden brown or show grill marks.
- Then, turn the bundles over and let cook for another 3 minutes on the outside.
- Finally, place the cooked heads of baby bok choy on a serving platter drizzle with sesame oil and lightly season with salt and black pepper.
Notes
- Squeeze of Lemon Juice
- Soy Sauce
- Miso Butter
- Rice Vinegar
- Lime Juice
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salad Dressing with Asian Flavors
Nutrition
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Sapana says
I love bok choy but have never made it on the grill. It looks so delicious - can't wait to make this summer!
Patty at Spoonabilities says
I love baby bok choy but have never made it myself. Definitely going to try this. It looks delicious!
Lisa Bryan says
Baby bok choy is one of my favorite veggies! I love this recipe as it's so simple to whip up!
Veena Azmanov says
These unique and awesome recipes are always a welcome. They make things so easy and healthy too. I love it.
Beth says
I love new recipes to try on the grill! This looks like the perfect side for a BBQ!