Bok Choy & Mushroom Stir-fry.

With fresh vegetables, this bok choy & mushroom stir-fry embodies the balance of yin and yang. This recipe is simple to make and comes together in a short amount of time, its perfect alongside a bowl of rice.

Bok choy, also known as Brassica Chinensis, is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, valued in Chinese diets for over 6,000 years and believed to have medicinal cooling effects. Its historical significance is highlighted by ancient seeds found in Neolithic sites. This stir-fry has also gained popularity in Buddhist temple cuisine, showcasing the beauty and simplicity of plant-based cooking.

Why Choose Baby Bok Choy For This Recipe?

Baby bok choy is ideal for the bok choy and mushroom stir-fry because the stalks are tender and the leaves will cook quickly compared to the fully grown bok choy. The white stems have a mild, slightly sweet flavor and retain a pleasant crunch when stir-fried, while the green leaves soften and become silky.

If you can find small baby bok choy, simply trim the base and cut out each head in half lengthwise. You can also use larger bok choy, but it is best to separate the thick stalks from the leaves. Add the stalks to the wok first as they take longer to tenderize, then add the leaves.

The most important thing is not to overcook the bok choy. A good stir-fry should have bok choy that is tender and slightly crisp, not soft and watery from overcooking.

What Mushrooms Can You Use?

Shiitake mushrooms are a classic choice for Chinese-style bok choy and mushroom dishes because their deep, earthy flavor works beautifully with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Fresh shiitake mushrooms are especially good for a quick stir-fry.

However, you can use a wide variety of mushrooms in place of shiitake, such as brown mushrooms, white button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, or a mix of them. For the best texture, slice the mushrooms evenly and avoid overcrowding the wok. Mushrooms release water as they cook, so give them enough space to brown rather than steam.

How to Get the Best Mushroom Texture

For a more flavourful bok choy mushroom stir-fry, let the mushrooms cook long enough to release their moisture before adding the bok choy. As the liquid evaporates, the mushrooms become more concentrated in flavor and develop lightly browned edges.

Try not to stir the mushrooms constantly. Let them sit in the hot wok for a moment before tossing them. This helps them develop color while keeping their meaty texture. Once most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil to coat the mushrooms and create a glossy savory sauce.

How to Prepare Bok Choy for Stir-Frying?

Wash the bok choy thoroughly, especially between the grooves of the leaves and around the base where dirt can collect. Trim away the tip of the bottom end where it can be tough or stringy. For baby bok choy, you can usually leave the small heads whole or cut them in half lengthwise. For larger bok choy, separate the white stalks from the green leaves and cut the stalks into bite-sized pieces.

The white stalks are thicker and take longer to cook, whilst the leaves wilt quickly. If you are using large bok choy, cut them in half to separate the stalks from the leaves. Then, add the stalks first, then add the leaves to finish cooking both parts at the same time.

Pat the bok choy dry before adding it to the wok. Excess water can lower the pan temperature, causing the vegetables to steam instead of stir-fry, which prolongs cooking time at lower heat and leaves the bok choy less crisp than intended.

How to Keep Bok Choy Crisp-Tender

The secret to good stir-fried bok choy is high heat and short cooking time. Heat the wok before adding the vegetables. Add the thicker bok choy stalks first and give them a little extra time to cook. Add the leaves toward the end and toss everything together until the leaves have just wilted.

Look for bright green leaves and tender stalks with a little crunch. This gives the finished dish a much better texture than cooking the bok choy until completely soft.

Many types of Bok Choy & Mushroom Stir-Fry

Make it vegetarian

For a vegetarian version, replace the regular oyster sauce with vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce. This keeps the deep savory flavor while making the dish suitable for a vegetarian meal.

Add tofu

For a more substantial plant-based meal, add firm tofu. Cut the tofu into cubes and pan-fry separately until golden and crisp, then add it to the finished stir-fry.

Add more vegetables

You can easily turn this into a mixed vegetable stir-fry by adding sliced bell peppers, carrots, snow peas, broccoli or spring onions. Choose vegetables that cook quickly so the bok choy remains crisp-tender.

Ingredients

Bok choy, Mushrooms, Onion, Garlic Cloves, Ginger, Soy sauce, Oyster Sauce, Sesame seed oil.

When you select Bok choy, choose stalks that are firm, straight, and bright white. The leaves should be bright and dark green. Baby Bok Choy works best for this dish because it is harvested young and tastes tender and sweet. Many Chinese chefs prefer baby Bok Choy for stir-frying. You can also use Large Bok Choy if you want. If you do, separate the leaves and chop them into three-inch pieces. Add the stalks first to the stir-fry since they take longer to cook than the leaves.

Onion, garlic cloves, and ginger are essential in Chinese cooking. They add a savory flavor to the stir-fry. Oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce enhance the flavors of the mushrooms and Bok Choy. For the mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms are typical, but you can also use white or brown mushrooms, or any mushrooms available at the store.

Instructions

Chop the onion, garlic and ginger into cubes. Slice the mushrooms. Add oil to a wok on medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for six to seven minutes until golden brown.

Add the ginger and garlic to the wok and sauté for three minutes. Add the mushrooms along with the condiments such as soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame seed oil.

What can you serve with Bok Choy & Mushroom Stir-fry?

This stir-fry pairs well with rice or with store-bought fried noodles, often sold without additional seasonings. For a more protein-rich option, consider a steamed whole fish such as sea bass or tilapia; these fish are light in flavor and balance the mushrooms’ savouriness. As for a salad option, consider a Smashed Cucumber salad or a Balsamic & Red Pepper Salad. Explore more Chinese recipes.

How to store Bok Choy & Mushroom Stir-fry?

Usually this dish is consumed immediately, however you can store this dish in the fridge for two days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove-top. We do not recommend freezing this recipe.