Bok Choy Soup

Today we are making Bok choy soup. It is time for your winter soup catalogue to get an emerald-green glow-up. Imagine a soy sauce broth that captures the right balance of savoury warmth and gingery zing, this Bok choy soup is light and perfect for a light appetizer meal.

If you are feeling a little under the weather, then this soup is the perfect recipe to boost your energy and revitalize your body. This is a vegetarian dish; however, you can also add strips of beef or a handful of shrimp for extra protein.

In some supermarkets, “bok choy” is written as “Pok choi“. The word itself translates to “white vegetable” With a white stem and light green leaves that turn a darker shade of green, leafy Bok choy adds refreshing flavours that pair well with soy sauce.

Historical origins of Bok Choy soup

Bok choy is a type of cabbage that does not form a head, it belongs to the same family as the turnip. This leafy cabbage grows in abundance in China. The Chinese incorporated this vegetable into their diet for its nutritional benefits. Bok choy has many vitamins and minerals. It is also versatile, pairing well with stir-fries, salads, and many types of Asian soups. This vegetable has a mild flavour; if you want to add more greens to your diet, consider Bok choy.

Ingredients

Bok Choy, Onion, Garlic cloves, Ginger, Mushroom, Chicken Stock, Spring Onion, Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Rice Vinegar.

Choose bok choy that is deep green and vibrant. Avoid yellow-looking bok choy with wilted leaves. Bok choy with bright white stems is best. The leaves should feel firm and smooth. Baby Bok choy is generally sweeter and more tender, making it ideal for light soups.

Shiitake mushrooms are great, whether fresh or dried, and have a deep and smoky flavour. However, if it is unavailable, choose oyster or white button mushrooms. Ginger and garlic add a savoury flavour. Spring onions add a subtle taste. The condiments used in this dish create a neutral-flavoured soup.

Dark soy sauce, along with oyster sauce, complements the flavour of the mushrooms and Bok choy, whilst rice vinegar adds a touch of acidity. You can swap out the rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar. Chicken stock creates a more flavourful broth. You can use chicken stock cubes or fresh chicken stock. And, if you want a completely vegetarian meal, you can use vegetable stock.

Instructions

Cut all of the Bok choy’s in half and rinse them in running water. Bok choy can have a little bit of soil that remains embedded within the leaves, make sure that you wash it thoroughly. Slice the onion and garlic cloves, and julienne the ginger into thin sticks.

Peeling the white mushrooms’ skins is optional; some mushrooms have very thin skins, if they are mainly clean-looking, simply wash them well to remove impurities, then cut vertically.

Preheat a pot over medium-low heat, then add the oil. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic to the pot, and stir to mix. Sauté the aromatics for three to five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the mushrooms to the pot and stir to combine. Add more cooking oil if the mushrooms look dry. Sauté the mushrooms for three minutes, or until they begin to release water. When the mushrooms start to release water, add the ground white pepper. 

When the mushrooms are done cooking, add oyster sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to the pot, stirring to combine.

Add the water and chicken stock cube to the pot, and boil the soup for ten minutes with the lid closed on medium-high heat. Add the Bok choy to the pot, close the lid, and boil the soup for an additional five minutes. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

The Bok choy is ready to serve and enjoy. This soup is considered as a starter soup or an appetizer since it has a light broth. If you would like to make it more hearty, you can add some beef dumplings. Adding rice noodles to this soup would turn it into a main meal instead of a starter meal.

What to Serve Bok Choy Soup with?

The best pairing for the tangy, hearty Bok choy soup is freshly steamed rice. Rice adds volume and enhances the overall comfort of the meal, and it is a must-have with the Bok choy soup. There are other sides to enjoy with the Bok choy soup, such as dumplings, fried rice, garlic stir-fried noodles, soy-glazed shrimp, grilled tofu, spring rolls, bao buns, or stir-fried vegetables.

How to Store and Reheat Bok Choy Soup?

Allow the soup to cool down to room temperature before storing it in the fridge. Transfer the soup into an airtight container or keep the whole pot in the refrigerator. The soup lasts for up to four days in the fridge; however, freezing it is not recommended, as the texture of the vegetables and the soup’s flavour will change. To reheat the soup, either reheat the whole pot on the stove for five minutes over medium-high heat, or microwave one portion.