When I picked up my share this week Paul handed me two huge, beautiful bunches of bok choy. They are one of my favorite greens to cook with, and are really two vegetables in one. The leaves are tender and vegetal, and the stems have a great, slightly watery crunch (but aren’t nearly as fibrous as chard or kale stems). I often stagger the cooking of the stems and greens as I’ve done in these bowls so the greens don’t overcook. Besides in stir fries, bok choy is great in soup, or can be roasted to up the crispy factor.

These bowls are my perfect weeknight meal. They come together in the time it takes to cook rice, are packed with vegetables, have a flavorful sauce, and are easily adapted at the table to each diner’s personal preference. (Not everyone likes as much chili crisp as my husband…) I love a good tofu bowl, but sometimes draining, marinating, and roasting is just not what I have energy for.

My full Potter Hill share this week was lettuce, bok choy, eggplant, onions, kale, cherry tomatoes, savory, and apples. I used the lettuce and apples in a big salad with cucumbers and lentils with a green dressing very similar to this one. I just snacked on the cherry tomatoes, but they would be great in couscous salad, a big salad with ranch dressing, or pizza. The eggplant is destined for moussaka, but you could go for vegan teriyaki eggplant (double the sauce) or not-at-all-vegan eggplant and roast beef sandwiches. Kale and apples make for a great autumnal salad. Kale is also one of my favorite greens to pair with eggs (exhibits A, B, and C). I just bought some vinegar powder that I’m very excited to experiment with, and I’m going to dust some roasted potato wedges with savory.

Bok Choy Rice Bowls

Serves 4

Adapted from Dinner by Melissa Clark

Notes: The photo above differs slightly from the recipe below. It was dark by the time I finished cooking dinner, so I waited until lunch to take photos. I forgot to bring the kimchi and sauce to work 😥 so those are absent, and I made a 6 minute egg instead of a fried one. What is written below is how I will be remaking the recipe.

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1¾ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil, divided
• 1 large bunch bok choy (mine was 14 ounces)
• 4 eggs

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• A pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For Serving:

• 1 cup chopped kimchi
• 1 scallion, sliced
• Sesame seeds
• Furikake (optional)
• Chili crisp or your favorite spicy condiment (optional)

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a small pot with a lid. Add the rice, stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 40 minutes.

Put all sauce ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.

Cut off the base of the bok choy if it is a single plant. Separate the stems from the greens. Chop the greens and wash. Wash the stems and cut them into ½” inch pieces (slice the stems in half lengthwise first if they are more than 1″ thick).

Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Add 1½ teaspoons oil, and when hot add the Bok choy stems. Cook for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the greens and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes until wilted. Place in a bowl and wipe out the pan. Heat and add the remaining oil. Fry the eggs to your desired doneness (I recommend over-easy).

Serve bowls with rice, greens, eggs, sauce, kimchi, scallion, sesame seeds, furikake, and chili crisp.