Baby Pak Choi with Oyster and Garlic Sauce

I love leafy vegetables in oriental cooking, especially the green mustardy types of cabbages. They are crunchy and packed with goodies such as spinach to help you grow like Popeye. 

Here is another classic Chinese dish that you will often find on the table of Chinese restaurants. With its fresh green colour, the Pak Choi just looks stunning when it is cooked uncut on its stem. Yet it is so simple to prepare. With a little trick you might be able to awe your diners. 

You never guess how simple it is to make this beautiful side dish. 

Ingredients

500 g baby Pak Choi

4 gloves of garlic

2 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 small cup of water

Preps

Wash the Pak Choi thoroughly to remove it from all sand and mince the garlic. You are already done with the preps! That’s how quick it is.  

Cooking

Fill a shallow pot with hot water, place the stem of the Pak Choi vertically into the pot and blanche the stems for three minutes. Then, place the Pak Choi into a bigger pot and blanche the rest of it for another two minutes. By blanching the stems head, you will avoid overcooking the leafy parts of the vegetable. Remove the Pak Choi while it is still crunchy and has a bite. Shock the Pak Choi in ice water to stop the cooking process and to keep the green colour. Layer the Pak Choi on a plate. 

In a small pan, dissolve the thick oyster sauce with a small cup of water, add the minced garlic, and bring both to a boil. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce over the Pak Choi. Done!