Mustard greens or bok choy, known as ‘sawi’ in Malaysia, is ubiquitous in markets and on dining tables all over the country. Affordable, hardy, nutritious, and flavourful, it comes in many varieties. The kind used in this recipe is ‘sawi putih’, a kind of bok choy that has dark green leaves and pale white stems. This kind of masak lemak is very much ‘dump-and-cook’, requiring very little attention once all the ingredients are in the pot. Serve this with rice as a foil for spicy and/or oily dishes like sambal tumis.
Bok choy in coconut milk
by Alia Ali
Mustard greens or bok choy, known as ‘sawi’ in Malaysia, is ubiquitous in markets and on dining tables all over the country. Affordable, hardy, nutritious, and flavourful, it comes in many varieties. The kind used in this recipe is ‘sawi putih’, a kind of bok choy that has dark green leaves and pale white stems. This kind of masak lemak is very much ‘dump-and-cook’, requiring very little attention once all the ingredients are in the pot. Serve this with rice as a foil for spicy and/or oily dishes like sambal tumis.
Servings: 4
Prep time: Quick
Servings: 4
Prep time: Quick
Ingredients
1 large bunch white-stemmed bok choy
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large red chilli, sliced in half lengthways
1 tbsp ikan bilis
200ml coconut milk (1 small carton)
Salt (to taste)
Directions
- Prep the bok choy by removing the root ends and separating the leaves from the stems. Tear the leaves into roughly 2″ pieces. Split the stems in half lengthwise, and cut into 2″ lengths. Rinse all the vegetable pieces and place in a medium saucepan. Add in the sliced garlic and chillies, ikan bilis, coconut milk, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Pour about 250ml of water into the saucepan and stir.
- Place the filled saucepan on the stove and turn the heat on to medium. Once the liquid begins to boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Let everything simmer for about 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables have wilted. Taste for salt, and add more if necessary.
- Serve with rice and other dishes.
Tips
- If using bok choy with greener stems, slice the stems even thinner lengthways or use the stems for another preparation. This is because the greener stems are a little more bitter and are not as suited for this basic preparation.
Ingredients
1 large bunch white-stemmed bok choy
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large red chilli, sliced in half lengthways
1 tbsp ikan bilis
200ml coconut milk (1 small carton)
Salt (to taste)
Directions
- Prep the bok choy by removing the root ends and separating the leaves from the stems. Tear the leaves into roughly 2″ pieces. Split the stems in half lengthwise, and cut into 2″ lengths. Rinse all the vegetable pieces and place in a medium saucepan. Add in the sliced garlic and chillies, ikan bilis, coconut milk, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Pour about 250ml of water into the saucepan and stir.
- Place the filled saucepan on the stove and turn the heat on to medium. Once the liquid begins to boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Let everything simmer for about 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables have wilted. Taste for salt, and add more if necessary.
- Serve with rice and other dishes.
Tips
- If using bok choy with greener stems, slice the stems even thinner lengthways or use the stems for another preparation. This is because the greener stems are a little more bitter and are not as suited for this basic preparation.
