Bok Choy Soup: with a fun ‘East-West Fusion’ twist….. free from common allergens, it’s easy to make on short order.
You know how some of the best ideas are often born out of necessity? You’re short on time, and you need dinner in a hurry… But the thought of whipping up one of your standard quick-fix items just makes you feel ‘Blehhh’!
Yeah… That’s what I call ‘necessity‘! The necessity to get your juices flowing by trying something NEW! On the fly, with whatever ingredients you have on hand, just going with your instrincts!
Well…. I felt just such a necessity one day! And the result? This delectable Bok Choy Soup! I scrounged around in my refrigerator and pantry for inspiration… The ideas started to flow… and a plan began to take shape in my head.
So…. Besides Bok Choy, this soup has some ingredients that might surprise you…. like steel-cut oats, for instance. Yeah… no kidding! Who said you should eat steel-cut oats only for breakfast?! And then… there’s the Ajvar, the popular Balkan condiment made from roasted red peppers….
‘East-West’ Twist on soup – inspired by ingredients on hand!
Hmm…. Why these ingredients? Well, for starters, they were just sitting in my fridge, and I was looking for inspiration…. to create something new!
I figured the cooked oats would be great in a soup… It would be similar to using barley in soups and stews to make them hearty and satisfying. Since oats do not have gluten, this soup would also be gluten-free!
As for the gloriously orange-red Ajvar, I confess it’s one of my favorite condiments to play with! I often add it to different dishes, just on a whim…. And Yes… Its delightful flavor and color never fails to add some extra magic to whatever I make!
So… My “Blehhh” feeling all gone, replaced completely with a sense of fun, I went for it…. A new kind of soup, with the decidedly ‘Eastern’ Bok Choy… and the decidedly ‘Western’ oats and Ajvar!
Fast and easy, the soup turned out Yum….. To make a meal of it, I had it with some other things I found in the fridge…. celery and peanut butter, seasoned pink beans and sourdough bread…..slathered with butter and topped with my favorite cheese.
As I polished it all off, I sat back, sated and happy, with the utterly delightful feeling of ‘Yummy in my Tummy!’
Bok Choy – Pak Choi…. Pok Choi….
Bok Choy, Pak Choi, Pok Choi.…. and other similar sounding names, for several varieties, big and small. All of these are from the Brassica family , which includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collard, mustard, etc.
In this soup, I’ve used the big Bok Choy, not the tiny sized varieties, often described as ‘Baby Bok Choy’, or ‘Short Bok Choy’. This big boy has thick, milky white, fleshy leaf-stalks/stems: they’re crunchy, succulent and mild-flavored. However, its dark green leafy tops are markedly peppery, with a hint of mustard-like kick.
Bok Choy is super low in overall calories…. How come? It has a high percentage of water in the fleshy stalks, along with practically zero fat content. One cup of raw Bok Choy has only 9 calories! What about its micro-nutrient content? It is loaded! Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants…. with all kinds of health-supporting properties.
Easy to prep and cook, you can make a wide variety of dishes with Bok Choy …. appetizers, side-dishes, soups and more.
Bok Choy Soup… with Steel-cut oats, Tomatoes and Ajvar
To start prepping for making the Bok Choy soup, I pulled out a couple of fleshy white stalks from the large head of Bok Choy and rinsed them thoroughly. Aware that sandy grit sometimes hides in its nooks and crevices, I gently poked around with my fingers as I washed them under running water.
I cut away the dark green leafy tops from the fleshy stalks and set them aside. I thought I would use the chopped leafy tops as a garnish, just before serving the soup.
After chopping the fleshy white Bok Choy stalks and a couple of garlic cloves, I began to saute them in butter. Meanwhile, I continued with the rest of my prep. I set a pot of water to boil on another burner… chopped tomatoes, Bok Choy greens, etc..
When the Bok Choy started to brown at the edges, I added the chopped tomatoes, pre-cooked steel cut oats, a little Ajvar and some simple seasonings. Then I let it all simmer together for a few minutes. By then, the water in my pot had started to boil…. perfect timing!
I added enough hot water to give it a thick broth-like consistency, then brought it to a quick boil. After turning the heat down, I let the soup gently simmer while I set out all my toppings…. Finely shredded cheddar, cottage cheese, sour cream, lime wedges….. and some cheesy, spicy croutons.
Hungry and ready to devour the heavenly smelling soup, I stirred in the corn kernels, chopped leafy Bok Choy tops and fresh dill, and turned the heat off.
That’s it… I was ready to dig into my new creation!
More Soup Recipes….
Are you a soup-lover, like me…. always looking to try a new soup? Here are some of my favorites…. Maybe you’d like check them out….
- Creamy Kale Chowder: a new twist on an old classic… warm and comforting
- Lentil Vegetable Soup: Tangy and spicy in Moroccan style…. a hearty one-dish meal
- Carrot Ginger soup: tangy and spicy… sure whets your appetite for the rest of the meal
- Celery-Asparagus Soup: so rich and creamy… all you need is crusty bread and butter
- Simple Tomato Basil Soup: fast and easy… a sure-fire crowd-pleaser
- and more….
Hope you make some of these and enjoy them with your family and friends….. Please do leave reviews and star ratings… Thanks a bunch!
Special Diets
This Bok Choy soup is vegetarian, vegan (use Vegan butter), gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and sesame-free. It has no onions and the garlic is optional, just in case you prefer to avoid these ingredients.
The next time you make a grocery run, perhaps you might pick up a good sized head of Bok Choy (not the baby Bok Choy!), and a jar of Ajvar too. You probably have all the remaining ingredients stocked in your pantry already!
What if you can’t seem to find ready-made Ajvar? No worries…. just pick up a medium sized red bell pepper and a small Japanese/Chinese eggplant…. and check Recipe Notes. I have given instructions for making a small batch of a simple version of this condiment …. It works beautifully in this soup!
Sure, that sounds like extra work! But Hey…. I don’t want you to think you can’t make this soup because you can’t find Ajvar!
I hope you make this hearty and tongue-tickling ‘East-meets-West’ Bok Choy fusion soup to share with your loved ones! Imagine their surprise when you tell them that the main ingredient in this rather Western style of soup is! actually the very Eastern Bok Choy!
Do leave a review and star rating… Much appreciated!
Enjoy!
Make Bok Choy Soup: East-West Fusion, Easy & Tasty
Equipment
- 2 Microwave-safe glass/ceramic cereal bowls for cooking steel-cut oats and tomatoes; I do not recommend using a plastic bowl for cooking oats. If using stove-top or pressure cooker, I recommend using a small stainless steel bowl.
- Electric chopper/blender for pureeing cooked tomatoes
- 2 Heavy-bottom medium saucepan (2-3 qt/L) for cooking the soup
- 1 Light-weight medium saucepan (2-3 qt/L) to boil water. Don't need if using a hot water kettle for boiling water.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Bok Choy – white stems – chopped 2-3 medium large stems – snip away the green leafy tops to chop separately; See Recipe Notes for Bok Choy alternatives you might try
- 1/2 cup Corn kernels -frozen/canned If using fresh, see note in directions
- 1 1/2 cups Tomatoes – chopped finely about 3 medium-large Roma; if fresh tomatoes are not available, use pre-made tomato puree/paste, or even Marinara sauce – check details in the Recipe directions
- 2 tbsp Steel-cut oats – dry or pre-cooked 1/2 cup; for gluten-free – check for GF label
- 3 tbsp Ajvar – mild/medium spicy (about 60 g) Store-bought; if not available, see Recipe Notes for a quick substitute recipe
- 3 cups Water adjust as needed for desired consistency: may need up to 1/2 cup more
- 3/8 tsp Salt adjust as per preference – may need up to 1/4 tsp more after taste-testing at the end
- 1/2 tsp Sugar adjust more/less as per taste preference- may need up to 1/4 tsp more
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper – freshly crushed preferred adjust more/less as per spice preference
- 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper adjust more/less as per spice preference
- 1 whole Bay leaf break into a couple of pieces
- 1 tsp Garlic -finely chopped (optional) 1-2 cloves; omit for no onion-garlic option
- 2 tsp Butter For Vegan: use your favorite plant-based butter or oil of your choice. I do NOT recommend using extra-virgin olive oil for sauteing and cooking.
- 1/2 tsp Paprika Optional, for good color
Garnish
- 1/3 cup Bok Choy – green leafy tops – finely chopped green tops from 2-3 stems
- 1 tbsp Fresh dill – finely chopped – remove tough stems if not available, use fresh parsley or cilantro -chopped
- 2 tbsp Cheddar Cheese – finely shredded – optional for vegan version- use plant-based cheese
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream – optional for vegan version – use plant-based sour cream
- 2 tbsp Cottage cheese – optional for vegan version, use shopped/crumbled firm tofu, sprinkled with salt and a squeeze of lime
- 1/4 cup Green onion – thinly sliced green tops – optional
Instructions
Cook the steel-cut oats in the microwave. Please see Recipe Notes for pressure cooker and stove-top cooking directions,
- Microwave: – Add 1/2 cup water to 2 tbsp steel-cut oats in a small (cereal bowl sized microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl. Stir to mix.– Add seasonings: 1/16 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper (freshly crushed preferred), 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper, tiny bit of butter. Stir to mix
- Cook on Hi for 1 minute; stir, cover and cook on 30% power for 5 min; stir, cover and cook on 30% power for 3-4 min.The oats should be fully cooked and most of the water absorbed by this time – if it looks very dry, stir in 1 tbsp water, cover and set aside.
- As it cools, it starts to dry out a bit.
- Break off about 2-3 medium-large stalks from the head of Bok Choy. Wash thoroughly under running water, gently probing all the nooks and crannies of the stalks and leafy tops to remove any hidden sandy grit.
- Make long cuts in the stalks and start dicing them.
- Cut way the green leafy parts from the white stalks.
- Separately chop the stalks and green tops.
- Peel and chop the garlic, if using.
- Heat butter in a medium (2 qt/L) saucepan and add the chopped garlic, along with the bay leaf, crushed black pepper and crushed red pepper.Note: If not using garlic, just add the bay leaf, crushed black pepper and crushed red pepperSaute for about 30 seconds.
- Add the diced Bok Choy stalks.
- Place about 4 cups of water in a pot and set it to boil on another burner, so that you will have hot water ready to be added to the soup later. Alternatively, heat the water in a hot water kettle.
- Saute, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 min on med-hi heat, until the edges start to brown.
- Meanwhile, prep the tomatoes: finely dice/chop about 3 medium Roma tomatoes, to yield about 11/2 cups.Note: If fresh tomatoes are not available, use one of the following alternatives instead:A) 2/3 cup pre-made tomato puree: store-bought or home-madeB) 1/4 cup tomato paste + 1/3 cup water: make a smooth mixture.C) 2/3 cup Marinara sauce (simple pasta sauce)
- Microwave the tomatoes, covered, for about 2 min.
- Transfer the cooked tomatoes to a blender jar or chopper, and puree them without adding extra water – yields about 3/4 cup.
- Add the pureed tomatoes , and 3 tbsp Ajvar to the sauteed Bok Choy
- Add the cooked steel-cut oats to the soup mixture,
- Add paprika,; stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes to blend flavors.
- By this time, the water you had earlier set to boil should be ready. Add 2 1/2 – 3 cups boiling hot water, stir and gently simmer the soup for 3-4 min.
- Meanwhile, rinse and chop the fresh dill.
- Add the thawed corn kernels to the soup.Note: If using fresh corn, briefly cook the kernels in 1/2 cup water for 2-3 min, before adding to the soup: add the cooked corn along with the cooking water.
- Add the chopped leafy Bok Choy tops and chopped fresh dill to the soup, then turn the heat off.
- Stir gently, and serve immediately,
- Set out assorted soup toppings on the side: shredded cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions… Also set out hot sauce, if you like.For vegan options, use plant based cheese, sour cream, crumbled tofu sprinkled with a little salt and a squeeze of fresh lime.Also set out some fresh crusty bread and butter.
- For a nutritionally balanced meal, pair this soup with food items that bump up the protein content of the meal, such as celery-peanut butter, seasoned pink beans and fresh bread with cheese.
- Enjoy!
Notes
To Cook steel-cut oats on the Stove-top:
- In a small heavy bottom saucepan, bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil.
- Add the seasonings: 1/16 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper (freshly crushed preferred), 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper, tiny bit of butter. Stir to mix.
- Add 2 tbsp steel-cut oats, stir and bring mixture back to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking and burning on the bottom.till oats are fully cooked and most of the water absorbed – it will take about 10-12 min.
- Turn the heat off and set aside, covered, away from the stove-top, until ready to use in the recipe.
To Cook steel-cut oats in the Pressure cooker
Use ‘pot in-pot’ method- Place the rack inside the pressure cooker pot. add 1 1/2-2 cups water- the water level should be barely touching the top of the rack.
- In a small heat-safe bowl (stainless steel preferred), place 2 tbsp steel-cut oats and 6 tbsp water.
- Add seasonings: 1/16 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper (freshly crushed preferred), 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper, tiny bit of butter. Stir to mix.
- Place this bowl on the rack inside the pressure cooker
- Pressure cook (Hi) at full pressure for 5 minutes. Then allow for natural pressure release – this will take 8-10 min. When you remove the lid, you will see that the oats are fully cooked and most of the water is absorbed by this time.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the pressure cooker and set it aside until ready to use in the recipe.
Bok Choy Alternatives:
Can’t find big Bok Choy where you live? No worries… Try using one of the following alternatives instead. Use one of these instead of the diced Bok Choy stalks:- 1 1/2 cups of white stalks of Short Bok Choy (cut away the dark leaves to use as garnish)Â
- 1 1/2 cups of light green stalks of Baby Bok Choy ((cut away the light green leaves to use as garnish )
- 3/4 cup chopped green cabbage + 3/4 cup chopped onions (red, white, yellow)Â
- 3/4 cup of diced turnips (slice into 1/8 inch slices, then dice) + 3/4 cup chopped onions (red, white, yellow)Â
- 1/3 cup of finely chopped Baby Bok Choy leafy tops – they have a similar peppery flavor as big Bok Choy
- 1/3 cup of finely chopped Short Bok Choy leafy tops – they have a similar peppery flavor as big Bok Choy
- 1/3 cup of finely chopped watercress leaves – they have a similar peppery flavor as big Bok Choy
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped radish leaves + 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped mustard leaves (flat or curly) + 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped mustard leaves (flat or curly) + 1/4 cup chopped ilantro
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Ajvar not available ?
No worries. Here’s a quick way to make a ‘fake’ Ajvar that works well in this Bok Choy soup. Ingredients:- 1 medium red bell pepper: peel and chop to yield 1 cupÂ
- 1/3 of a medium Japanese/Chinese eggplant: peel and chop to yield about 1/3 cup
- 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp Crushed red peppes
- 2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
- Heat oil in a small frying pan (non-stick pan preferred) and saute the garlic for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped bell pepper and eggplant and saute for 4-5 minutes till the edges start to brown.
- Stir in salt and crushed red pepper, cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 min till veggies are soft and look somewhat ‘dry’.
- Stir periodically to prevent sticking/burning on the bottom of the pan.Â
- Se aside to cool to room temperature.
- Transfer to a chopper, add apple cider vinegar and pulse grind to a coarse paste.Â
- Taste-test and adjust salt, if needed, to your taste preference.
- Your ‘fake’ Ajvar is ready to use for making this Bok Choy soup!Â
- Use as directed in recipe: about 3 tbsp
- Store any remaining paste ( ‘fake’ Ajvar) in a glass jar in the refrigerator.
- Use within 2 weeks.Â
Storing Leftovers:
Store leftover Bok Choy soup in a glass/ceramic lidded container in the refrigerator.- Use within 2-3 days
- The texture of frozen Bok Choy upon thawing will be rather unpalatable.
- Reheat on the stove-top or in the microwave till almost boiling.Â
Will surely try to make this .. looks very tempting
Go for it, Alka! I hope you like it!
What a fun, easy, FAST recipe! It was a true 30-minute recipe, which is rare. And so yummy. I added tofu and replaced oats with buckwheat, which actually tasted great! Kind of European to go with the ajvar. Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks Jennifer! I’m so glad you enjoyed making and having this soup! I will definitely add buckwheat to the recipe as a workable substitute (as well as a very nutritious one!) for steel-cut oats! Alternative options are always great – since all ingredients might not be easily available in all parts of the world!
In fact, you could also use cracked wheat and cracked barley instead of oats – I have done that when I was out of steel cut oats and didn’t feel like making a grocery run just for that! Creativity, after all… name of the game! 🙂