Oyster Sauce Vegetables in Garlic Oil

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First posted in Jan 2010, updated in Mar 2017.

This plate of oyster sauce vegetables (油菜) in crispy garlic oil was one of the first vegetable dishes I made when I started cooking for the blog, and I am still making it regularly today. That’s almost 10 years!

Related Recipes:

• Oyster Sauce Vegetables with Fried Shallots Recipe
• Crispy Garlic Oil Recipe (Step by Step Pictures)

I can’t help making this classic homely dish again and again, because it is so quick & easy to whip up. It also accompanies any Chinese dish for a balanced and complete meal.

The baby bok choy (小白菜) are blanched in rapidly boiling water for only 10 seconds. It’s optional, but I usually lower the stems into the boiling water with tongs for 5 seconds (pictured above), before dropping the whole bunch into the boiling water for another 5 seconds. So it’s stems: 10 seconds, leaves: 5 seconds if you want to be a perfectionist XD If this is your first time blanching this vegetable, you may be surprised how quick it is to cook them.

As for the sauce, it is non-cooking – just dilute oyster sauce with hot water and balance the saltiness with a small amount of sugar.

The garlic oil with crispy chopped garlic is the fun (yummy) part. You can make a small amount just for one serving each time you make this dish, but I usually make a bigger quantity & keep the extra garlic oil in the fridge. By preparing beforehand, I can come home after work and whip up this vegetable dish in 10 minutes.  The solidified oil thaws quickly at room temperature. Check out the step-by-step pictures for making crispy garlic in garlic oil.