Quick answer
For a fast bok choy stir-fry, cook sliced Chinese cured pork sausage first so the fat starts to render, then add a lot of garlic, fresh bok choy, and a splash of soy sauce.
Cook time: about 5–7 minutes total once everything is prepped.
The sausage brings a sweet, salty, savory flavor, while the bok choy stays fresh, juicy, and slightly crunchy.
This works best when the bok choy is cooked just until tender. You do not want it fully wilted or mushy.
Ingredients
- 3–4 Chinese cured pork sausages, sliced
- 4–5 heads of bok choy
- 1 whole head of garlic, minced
- Oil for stir-frying
- Soy sauce, to taste
Prep
- Slice the Chinese cured pork sausage into thin coin-shaped pieces
- Mince a whole head of garlic
- Separate the bok choy leaves
- Wash the bok choy well, especially near the base where dirt can hide
- Let the bok choy drain so it is not dripping wet before cooking
Stir-fry
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a little oil.
Add the sliced Chinese sausage and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until some of the fat starts to render and the edges turn slightly glossy. The fat should begin looking a little transparent.
Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Do not let the garlic burn. You want it aromatic, not bitter.
Add the bok choy and toss everything together.
Be careful when adding the bok choy. Any leftover water from washing can hit the hot oil and cause some splattering.
Once the leaves start to soften, add a splash of soy sauce.
Continue stir-frying for about 1 more minute, or until the bok choy is just tender but still has some crunch.
What to look for
- Sausage looks glossy and slightly rendered
- Garlic smells fragrant but is not browned too deeply
- Bok choy leaves soften, but the stems still have bite
- The pan smells savory, garlicky, and slightly sweet from the sausage
If the bok choy gets too soft, it can lose the fresh crunch that makes this dish good.
Fresh bok choy note
Fresh bok choy makes a big difference here.
Older bok choy can taste more fibrous and tough, especially in the stems. Fresher bok choy tends to be sweeter, juicier, and more tender, which works better for a quick stir-fry.
Since this dish cooks quickly, the quality of the bok choy matters a lot.
Finishing move
Taste before adding more soy sauce.
Chinese cured sausage is already salty and sweet, so the soy sauce should support the dish rather than overpower it.
Serve hot, ideally with rice.
One thing I liked was cooking extra cured sausage with the rice. It gave parts of the rice little browned, savory spots from the sausage fat, which added another layer of flavor to the meal.