Cah Bok Choy (Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce)

Posted by Lisa on Friday, February 16, 2007. Filed under: ,

As I wrote in my previous post about Gobi Manchurian, there are some differences in taste between chinese dishes prepared in Indian hotels and the one that I knew in Indonesia. This in one of the most common taste of chinese dishes in Indonesia. You can find it everywhere from home-dinner table to the five stars hotel and restaurants.

Last week when I was shopping in one supermarket in Cochin, to my surprise I found Bok Choy on the vegetables racks. Yes, right. That was the first time for me to find it in Cochin for tha last 3 years I live in Cochin. Panicly, I bought all Bok Choy they had... I was so worry I could not find it next time (and it's true. I came to the same supermarket 3 times after that, and never find the same vegetables). So I guess that was my luck and make me able to post this entry.

Once I was told by my chinese friend about the main ingredients for making chinese dish you should have. First is of course Soy sauce. If you were in Indonesia, choose the Salty Soy Sauce, as we have another kind of Soy Sauce: Sweet Soy Sauce. The second one is Sesame Oil. This oil have a specific taste and aroma that will make the dish special.

Ingredients:
2 Bok Choy, clean and remove it's stalks
125 grams cleaned prawns (or squids, cut into small pieces)
1/2 Onion, finely minced
2 garlics, minced
1 cm ginger, crushed
2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp corn flour
salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, powdered
200 ml water
1 tsp sesame oil

In a pan, bring to boil some water and a pinch of salt. Add Bok Choy and cook for 1 minute. Remove from pan and drain it. Put the cooked Bok Choy in a plate, set aside.

In a frying pan, heat a little oil. Add minced garlic, Onion and ginger. Stir fry them until the aroma comes. Add prawns and fry until they slightly pink in color.

In a bowl, mix together: Oyster sauce, corn flour, salt, black pepper, sesame oil and water. Pour the mixture to the frying pan. Bring to boil and cook until the gravy thicken. remove from pan and pour the sauce over the cooked Bok Choy. Serve hot.

8 Responses to Cah Bok Choy (Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce)

  1. Shilpa

    Hi Lisa, by sweet soya sauce, are you referring to the darker, thicker type? For me, when I cook Chinese food, I am highly dependent on oyster sauce. :) Your dish looks good even though I'm not all that fond of bok choy!

  2. Anonymous

    I have never found this veggie in the local market here..:(

    Tempting pictures, Lisa

  3. Gattina Cheung

    I can tell your dish is very much authentic! I like oyster sauce in any vegetable (but don't use soy sauce and sesame oil though, I think it's just a very regional thing). Just now looking at the succulent shrimps, my mouth's watering!

  4. Anonymous

    I am a big fan of bokchoy and sesame oil.
    The dish looks so appetising!
    Bokchoy in Cochin!

  5. Anonymous

    Hi!
    I just discovered ur page.You have got a very good blog. I really appreciate ur work.Keep it up!!
    Good day!!

  6. Mallika

    Mmmm, I am loving this recipe. Bok choy is one of my favourite greens. You have a great blog here. It's wonderful to see the two cultures come together.

  7. Lisa

    To Shilpa
    Yes, I also dependent to oyster sauce :-). Sweet soya sauce is special Indonesian style of Soya Sauce. I think I never find it anywhere else so far.

    To Sailaja
    Yes, I found it only one time.. hahahha

    To Gattina
    Yes, I'm agree with you. I think adding 1 tbsp oyster sauce will make the vegetables taste better...

    To Gini
    But I never find another bokchoy here now.. :-(

    To Bhargavi
    Thanks for your nice words..

    To Mallika
    Thanks for visiting Mallika. Do you have any blogs.. I can't read your profile.

  8. Unknown

    hi lisa, its nice to find ur page i was very happy to know there is an indonesian staying here in cochin, ur bok choy is grt here in chandigarh we get in winter, keep it up with ur cooking and yes even i laugh at their indian chinese,do write to me at nimmiegohil@rediffmail.com i was staying in tvm fr 3 yrs neve knew u were there in chochin, i am indian but born in medan can we be friends liza hope to hear fr u soon nimmie