Grilled Sesame-Soy Bok Choy Salad

Raw and grilled baby bok choy makes for an interesting and flavorful salad

I make a lot of Asian food at home, but I often struggle to come up with quick and easy Asian-inspired veggie sides to pair with the meal. This recipe for grilled bok choy salad was a revelation and is great to serve this summer when the grill is already fired up for other dishes (we like to serve the salad with these grilled Korean short ribs). The recipe is inspired by a dish in Laura Russell's Brassicas and calls for separating the leafy green tops from the crunchy bulbs of bok choy. The bulbs get charred on the grill while the leaves stay raw and everything gets tossed with a simple sesame-soy dressing. With all the different temperatures and textures and flavors, it's amazing that the whole salad is made from just one vegetable. And since bok choy is a really affordable veggie, the whole dish costs about $2 to make.

Note: If you don't have an outdoor grill, try making this with a hot grill pan.


More Bok Choy Recipes:
- Bok Choy Asian Noodles
- Serrano-Lime Squid & Bok Choy
- Lazy Pho with Bok Choy


Grilled Sesame-Soy Bok Choy Salad:

• Preheat a grill to high.
• Cut the leafy green tops off of 3-4 heads of small bok choy, then cut the bulbs into halves or quarters (depending on size).
• Cut the green tops into thin ribbons and set aside.
• Toss the bok choy bulbs with 1 tbsp. canola oil and season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1/2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, and 1 tsp. soy sauce. Check for seasoning and set dressing aside.
• Grill the bulbs for 3-4 minutes per side, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until charred and crisp-tender.
• Toss the greens with some of the dressing and arrange on a plate or platter.
• Arrange the grill bok choy on top and drizzle with remaining dressing.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves two-four (side dish)