Braised Chinese Mushrooms & Bok Choy

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:35:41 GMT

Step 1

Prepare the dried shiitake mushrooms (3 oz) by washing them twice. Scrub gently to clean off any dirt and debris. Then, soak in a bowl of warm water (40-50°C) for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Prepare bok choy

Step 3

Trim the bok choy (1 lb) by cutting off the hardened, dirty ends. For large bunches of bok choy, cut a large slit to split the stem side of the bunch, then pull apart the rest of the plant by hand. Then, wash the bok choy to get rid of any dirt and critters. Soak the bok choy in a bowl or basin of water while you’re prepping the ingredients in the next step.

Step 4

Peel the garlic (3 clove), trim off the hard ends, and slice each clove into 3-4 pieces. Cut the ginger (4 slice) into thin slices, then cut each slice in half.

Step 5

Gently grip the bok choy by the stem and swish it around in the water, agitating the plant to get any sand and debris off.

Step 6

When you've swished all the bok choy, pour out the dirty water and give them all another quick rinse.

Step 7

Using either kitchen shears or a knife, cut off the stems from the rehydrated mushrooms and discard. Squeeze excess water out from the mushrooms and put them aside. Keep the soaking liquid for later.

Step 8

Prepare the sauce by combining oyster sauce (2 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tbsp), dark soy sauce (1 tsp), sugar (1 tsp), salt, and cooking wine (1 tsp). Mix well.

Step 9

Heat a wok on medium heat. Add oil (1 tbsp).

Step 10

Add half the garlic and half the ginger to the wok, and stir-fry until fragrant, or about 90 seconds. Then add boiling water (6 cup) and salt. Increase the heat to high so the water can come to a rolling boil.

Step 11

When the water has come to a boil, add the bok choy. Cook the bok choy for about two minutes, until the leaves are vibrantly green and the stems just begin to soften.

Step 12

Transfer the cooked bok choy into the bowl of ice water to shock them.

Step 13

Discard the water from the wok. Drain the bok choy.

Step 14

Dry the wok with a quick wipe. Heat it on low heat, then add oil (1 tbsp) and the rest of the ginger and garlic. Fry them until fragrant, or for 40-50 seconds.

Step 15

Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until fragrant, or 50-60 seconds. Add cooking wine (1 tsp) to enhance the flavor of the mushrooms. Add 2 cups of the mushroom soaking liquid to start braising the mushrooms.

Step 16

Add the sauce and turn the heat up to high to bring everything to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat to low and braise the mushrooms on low heat for 10-15 minutes. While the mushrooms are braising, plate the cooked bok choy.

Step 17

To make a beautiful wreath, use a circular dish. Place each bok choy so the stems face out and the leaves turn into the center. Later, you'll plate the mushrooms over the leaves so they can soak up all the delicious sauce.

Step 18

Test the mushrooms for doneness by piercing with a chopstick; if the chopstick goes through the mushroom easily, it's ready.

Step 19

Give the sauce of the braised mushrooms a quick taste. Add chicken bouillon (0.50 tbsp).

Step 20

Mix up a quick slurry of cornstarch (1 tsp) and mushroom soaking liquid (approximately 1:3 ratio) and stir to dissolve. Make sure the heat is on low, then slowly pour the slurry in as you stir the mushrooms.

Step 21

Turn the heat up to medium or high and bring it back to a boil, then add sesame oil (1 tsp).

Step 22

Plate the braised mushrooms in the center of the dish, right over the vibrant green leaves. Arrange the mushrooms cap-side up to maximize visual impact. Remember to pour the rest of the succulent sauce over the mushrooms. Enjoy!

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