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Oyster Sauce Vegetables in Garlic Oil
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!
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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.
yikes …. never knew that i had to dilute the oyster sauce. i just pour straight from the bottle and onto the blanced vege – maybe that’s why my kids hate it. they have been taking their blanced greens with parmesan cheese. will try your version tonight.
That’s the best test! Let me know how it goes!
I like stir-fried vege the best!!
Thanks for the tip on adding some garlic oil to the oyster sauce! It’s a great way to zest up vegetables like bok choy, which I happen to have in the garden and it’s getting out of control. Need to harvest and eat!!
I’m so jealous … you have vegetables fresh from the garden! as organic as it can get :-)
I love oriental green leaves. Once a week, we shop to Asian markets to buy bok choy, gailan, bittermelon, yuey choy, or malabar spinach. I miss daun lembayung (the leaves of green long beans) that I used to have in Indonesia.
I haven’t tried those daun lembayung before. I love asian greens too … can never have enough :)
Love how you plated the baby bok choy. Super appetising!!
I know it’s weird but I like blanched vegetables (kailan, bok choy, caixin) and can do without the garlic oil and oyster sauce. I’m too lazy.
that’s good in a way! eating it blanched is the most healthy actually. But i really like the oyster sauce and most importantly … garlic oil! hehe
You did a great job making the veggies look good – I especially love the sauces you used.
I love the idea. I also do this to swamp cabbage but I top it with fried garlic instead of garlic oil…
That sounds good! Fried shallots sound good, especially when it’s brown and crispy, like shallots.
These sauces sound great for bok choy! I like steaming baby bok choy but always want a sauce with it, and both of these sound delicious.
Hope you try it one day, I think you’ll like it … this is a local favourite :)
I need to eat more greens too, but I haven’t been as good about it as you clearly have. Looks great!