I don’t like to admit it, but vegetable side dishes sometimes get short shrift when it comes to my meal planning. I’ll often get so involved with making an entree that come dinner time, I’ll quickly steam up some greens or just forgo them altogether. Not that anything is wrong with steamed broccoli or spinach, but sometimes they get, well, monotonous.
Lately, I’ve found myself trying to come up with a new vegetable side for Southeast Asian entrees such as Vietnamese Clay Pot Chicken and Coconut Chicken Adobo. I’m used to steaming or just stir-frying bok choy with a bit of soy sauce or fish sauce, but decided earlier this week to make a fragrant coconut-y version with coconut milk and toasted coconut flakes. It came out so well the first time I made a few other adjustments such as adding sesame oil and sesame seeds.
It’s a very simple side that looks impressive on the dinner table too. The aromas of coconut and sesame blend really well together, and the sauce is delicious on its own or poured over noodles or rice. In fact, with the leftovers, I made an impromptu noodle soup for a quick lunch by reheating the bok choy and coconut sauce, pouring it over boiled noodles, and adding a bit more salt and pepper.
And if you’re looking for an entree to go with the bok choy, be sure to check out the Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino dishes in the Recipe Index!
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Coconut Bok Choy
Serves 4 as a side
- 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
- 2 pounds baby bok choy, hard ends trimmed (should have about 1 1/2 lbs after trimming)
- 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- In a dry skillet, toast the coconut flakes over medium heat until they start to turn golden around the edges but are not yet brown, about 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly wilted. (If you’re using larger baby bok choy, tongs may be easier than a spatula.) Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 2 minutes, until the bok choy is mostly tender but the stems still have some crunch. Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper if needed.
- With tongs, carefully transfer the bok choy to a serving dish and ladle the coconut sauce over the bok choy. Sprinkle the white sesame seeds and toasted coconut flakes on top and serve.
This looks wonderful! And probably very healthy without skimping on flavor. Thanks for sharing!
Love anything coconut flavored! Great pics with this post, too. :-)
What brand of coconut flakes did you use? I’ve never seen them so thick?
Looks yummy! I want to make it…thanks
Lyn – I got the coconut from the bulk bin of my local natural grocery store. But you can buy them prepackaged too at places like Whole Foods or other supermarkets. They might also be called coconut chips and are usually located with baking items or snacks. Hope that helps, and let me know if you have other questions!
wonderful recipe, and I do love the idea of coconuts. Delicious picture!
Delicious! I bought some bok choy from the farmers market and made your recipe, adding some tofu and a little more extra coconut milk. Served it with some brown rice and I was good to go! I’m vegan so I’m always on the lookout for new tasty ideas, so thanks again!
I ended up making this last night and have to say it was great! I served it with an easy Thai red chicken curry and everyone loved the combination. Thank you for this!