Indian Spiced Bok Choy

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My Indian bok choy recipe is a delicious fusion of tender Chinese greens and aromatic Indian spices, bringing a unique twist to your regular stir-fry. It’s great for anyone looking to make an easy, versatile side dish that is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan – perfect for spicing up your dinner routine!

I’m a firm believer that Indian spices make just about any vegetable delicious, especially veggies that tend to have a more bitter taste. Flavorful, aromatic spices like turmeric powder, cumin, and coriander make otherwise boring veggies come alive.

Bok choy, also known as pak choi, is a popular leafy vegetable in Chinese cooking and can sometimes be slightly bitter. But in this recipe, I give it an Indian twist that transforms it into a delicious, flavorful dish.

My pak choi recipe, Indian style, is full of depth of flavor and isn’t chewy or tough. My secret is that I finely shred or dice it up into small pieces to help it cook down to be tender and satisfying. It’s the perfect quick and easy side dish to any meal.

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🥘 Ingredients

You can find everything you need to make my Indian bok choy recipe at your local grocery store or farmer’s market. See my recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact amounts and nutritional information.

Bok Choy: For this recipe, I use both the white and leafy parts. If you can’t find regular bok choy, you can also use baby bok choy or regular or Chinese cabbage. You can even use a mixture to make a cabbage bok choy stir-fry.

Red Onion: Caramelized chopped red onion adds a sweet, sharp flavor that compliments the Asian greens perfectly. I also like the colorful contrast it provides, but white or yellow onion will also work. If you want a more pungent flavor, try using a small amount of shallot.

Indian Spices: I use a blend of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ground turmeric, and salt to create the flavor base of this savory dish. These are staples in Indian cuisine and add a warm, earthy flavor and nutty aroma. If you don’t have black mustard seeds, you can use a pinch of dry mustard powder, though the flavor won’t be as strong. Similarly, you can use ground cumin instead of cumin seeds.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Oil is essential for sauteeing the spices and allowing them to bloom. I find that the light, fruity flavor of olive oil also enhances the overall taste of the dish but any neutral flavored oil will work. Some other good choices are coconut oil or avocado oil.

Hing Or Asafoetida: Hing is a unique spice with a strong smell. It’s used in small quantities but adds a distinct flavor that’s integral to many Indian dishes. Many varieties contain gluten but gluten-free versions are also available. Both hing or asafoetida are tricky to substitute, but a mixture of garlic and onion powder can provide a similar flavor. You can also add some black pepper for an extra kick.

Green Chile: This ingredient brings heat to the dish. I often use green chiles in Indian recipes, but I’ll remove the seeds to reduce the spiciness or use the chile whole or chopped in half to control the heat. Depending on your preference, you can adjust the amount. You can also substitute the green chile with jalapeno or serrano peppers. For a milder flavor, green bell pepper works well too.

🔪 How To Make Indian Spiced Bok Choy

Learning how to cook bok choy Indian style is super easy. It takes just a few simple steps that anyone can master. Check out my video below to see how quickly my pak choi Indian recipe comes together!

Bloom The Spices: To begin, I heat the oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat. Then once the oil is hot enough, I toss in the Indian spices and green chilies and cook while stirring until the mustard seeds and cumin seeds begin to pop – this is called “tempering” the spices.

Caramelize The Onions: After the spices are popping, I toss in the onions and cook them down until they have caramelized to a beautiful, golden brown color. This process can take a few minutes.

Add The Bok Choy: Once the onions are done, I add the uncooked chopped bok choy to the pan.

Cook: I cook the bok choy over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, until it has wilted and softened slightly. Then once cooked to my liking, I turn the heat down to low and let it cook for a couple more minutes. 

Serve: When ready, I serve it warm with one of my family’s favorite main dishes!

📖 Variations

Once you know how to cook bok choy there are so many different ways to change up my recipe and make it your own!

Add More Veggies: Sometimes I’ll add other vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, and my favorite leafy greens. Just make sure you adjust the cooking time accordingly! The general rule of thumb when stir-frying is to add hard veggies before dark leafy greens.

Add Protein: Sometimes I’ll add some tofu or paneer for extra protein. If you serve it with a side of rice or vegan naan it works as a complete meal. 

With Sesame Seeds: For a different texture and flavor, I’ll toss in a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds towards the end of the cooking process. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil is also delicious to finish the dish.

Spicy Bok Choy Sabji: Vegetable dishes, also known as sabji in Indian culture, are easy to make spicy. Just add more green chilies, a sprinkle of chili flakes, or red pepper flakes to turn this into a spicy bok choy recipe. My family loves it when I other spices like garam masala or hot curry powder as well.

Bok Choy Curry: Turn this stir-fry into bok choy curry, Indian style, by adding a couple of curry leaves, minced ginger and garlic cloves, a teaspoon of curry powder, and some coconut milk to the recipe. You can even add other Indian vegetables to it, or give it a Thai curry flair with Thai basil. I recommend adding a small chopped tomato for a tangy flavor.

Bok Choy Sabzi: Give this recipe a South Indian twist by adding coconut. Sauté the bok choy as per the recipe and then finish with a generous topping of freshly grated coconut for a delicious variation. 

Choy Sum Stir Fry: Instead of using bok choy, sometimes I’ll make this an Indian choy sum recipe. Choy sum is similar to bok choy, but it has tender stems and small yellow flowers with a slightly sweeter flavor.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

My Indian style bok choy stir fry is such a versatile dish that pairs well with various meals in so many different ways! Here are some of my favorites:

Indian Dishes: Serve this stir fry as a side dish with traditional Indian dishes like dhaba style dal tadka and curry or with my Instant Pot dal, vegan palak paneer, or chickpea and potato curry. 

Asian Dishes: My Indian bok choy recipe is also fantastic with Asian dishes! Although the flavors lean Indian, this dish goes well with Asian meals like my tofu broccoli with sesame noodles and tofu fried rice.

Other Side Dishes: If you’re looking for a light lunch option, serve it with some of my vegan quinoa patties, sweet corn tamale cakes, or mushroom toast. The savory Indian spices in the dish make these light options taste even better.

🫙 Storage Directions

Fridge: If I have leftovers, I store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cooked bok choy will keep well for about 3 to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as it will change the texture and taste once defrosted.

Reheating: To reheat leftovers, I usually warm them over medium heat in a large skillet for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even heat distribution. You can also reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until thoroughly warmed.

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