Yesterday was a good day.
I wrapped presents, went for a run after a 4 day workout hiatus (it happens), started my new recipage (it’s a work in progress, you can still find everything on the old recipe page until I’m done uploading everything) and made a bok choy dish that tasted straight up like Chinese takeout. Except you can actually be sure of what’s going into this dish. 
I’ll be honest, up until this dish, I bought baby bok choy more for it’s cuteness factor than it’s taste. Have you seen the baby ones? Think about it…they’re cute.
Usually, I sauté it with some garlic, ginger and olive oil and call it a day. Bor-i-n-g.
It’s kind of watery and with that method you just end up with a garlic flavored watery mess. Doesn’t that sound appetizing?
So I thought about Chinese takeout and for some reason sweet and sour chicken came to mind. I think most places serve that dish with pineapple, but if not, mine at least does.
Guess who still had a quarter of a pineapple in the fridge? This pineapple was a bit of a show off, getting three recipes out of the blog and now going for a fourth! If you’re sick of pineapple, don’t worry, it’s gone now and most likely not coming back until next summer.
The other thing Chinese places do? Cashews. Mine actually has a whole section with “cashew” dishes. It reminds me of Bubba from Forrest Gump. Cashew chicken, cashew shrimp, cashew pork…
Cashews are always on hand over here for instant dough balls (<—best dough ball ever!) so an idea was sparked.
Throw the two ingredients together with some Asian flavoring and bam.
My own Chinese takeout cashew dish.
Serve it up with some brown rice and your protein of choice. We went with shrimp. Gotta love Trader Joe’s peeled, deveined, frozen shrimp. They just make it too easy.
- 4 baby bok choy, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- ⅓ cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute garlic, sesame oil and red pepper flakes until fragrant. About a minute.
- Add pineapple and pepper and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add bok choy and toss to coat. Saute for another 5 minutes until wilted and softened.
- While bok choy cooks, combine soy sauce, vinegar, honey, orange juice and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together.
- Add mixture to the bok choy in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Toss with cashews right before you take off the heat.
- Best served immediately.
What’s your favorite Chinese takeout dish?
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I just made bok choy here the other day with rice wine vinegar and pineapple! The day I made the plantains but the photography on the dinner hour food was sooo horrendous I couldn’t even post the bok choy.
Yours looks beautiful!!!
This sounds awesome. I think I’ll add this to next week’s dinner recipes.
I’ve just about given up on Chinese takeout. The restaurants near me always serve up such greasy food, and you’re right – I never know what the heck they put in it. I tend to stick with Thai.
I love bok choy — makes me happy that you’re cooking with it and you’re not asian — seriously. haha, not very many people are adventurous enough to cook with it. AND you mixed great flavor combos in it. love it, Gina
my boyfriend loves cashews too. it’s his fav nut haha
I love bok choy!! But it’s one of those vegetables that I never think to make…I need to change that!
I love bok choy but I’ve never made it! Must try this
I love baby bok choy – they are so tasty and tender. This dish looks great! I did hours of wrapping presents yesterday as well. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.
BTW – I have a giveaway on my site – check it out to enter – Christmas Giveaway
I’m a fan of cashew chicken, though the even less healthy sesame chicken is usually also a winner.
I love salt and pepper calamari and steamed shrimp dumplings. I also REALLY love Chinese broccoli. (not broccoli with brown sauce, this is a strange and different vegetable entirely!!)
Cashew is good with anything, my daughter could eat it all day alone though. Nicely prepared dish, will try this one tomorrow.
This my friend looks AMAZING!!!! WHat a fab and fresh eat! I need to come to your house to eat….my meals never look this fancy!!
xxoo