Directions

1. Set the oven to 450 F. While waiting for the oven to preheat, rinse the bok choy. We will not tear the leaves apart so it is important to open the leaves and wash off the dirt in between. Drain thoroughly.

2. Cut the bok choy in halves. Season them with ¼ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of ground black pepper, 1 tsp of red pepper flakes; If you don’t eat spicy food, you can skip it. Continue by adding 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, 1.5 tsp of soy sauce, 1.5 tsp of black bean sauce. This is what I am using. It is made with garlic and fermented black beans, which will add a complex taste to the dish. There is no replacement because nothing tastes similar. However, if you don’t have it, you can use the same amount of oyster sauce or soybean paste. Although the flavor will be different, it will still be delicious.
3. Last, drizzle in 1.5 Tbsps of oil. Toss the bok choy until all the seasonings are well mixed. Place the bok choy into a baking pan. The leaves are easy to dry out in the oven so you should try to tack the leaves under the stems.
4. There should be a little bit of seasonings left in the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to scrap it down and evenly spread onto the bok choy.
5. The oven is done preheating by now. Stick the baking pan in and cook for 10 - 15 minutes? The timing depends on how crunchy you want your veggies to be. I cooked mine for 12 minutes.
6. Sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds and you are done. You can serve it as a side dish to pair with almost any meal.