Go Back
–+ servings

Enoki & Bok Choy Wasabi-Ae

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 head bok choy (pak choy)
  • 100 g enoki mushrooms
  • 4 tbsp dashi stock vegetarians/vegans can used plant-based dashi
  • ½ tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • ¼ tsp salt sea salt preferred
  • 2 pickled plums (umeboshi) or store-bought ume paste
  • 1 tbsp bonito flakes (katsuobushi) lightly crushed, omit for plant-based diets
  • 1 tsp wasabi paste
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • roasted seaweed for sushi (nori) crushed, topping
  • toasted white sesame seeds topping

Instructions 

  • Start heating a pot of water with a few pinches of salt. Trim the bottom of 1 head bok choy (pak choy) and cut a cross on the bottom about 1cm / ½ inch deep. Prepare a bowl of ice-cold water and place it by the stove.
    cutting a cross on the base of a bok choy with a Japanese knife
  • Reduce the heat so the water is just below boiling and place the bok choi's stems in the water for 30 seconds. Leave the leaves exposed, leaning over the edge of the pot.
    the stems of bok choi in a pot of boiling water
  • Submerge the leaves and cook for 15 seconds before transferring the bok choy to an ice-water bath.
    bok choy in a pot of hot water on the stovetop
  • After a few minutes, remove the bok choy from the water and gently squeeze out the water. Place it in a sieve or colander over a bowl and leave to drain any leftover water.
    cooked bok choy in a metal sieve over a bowl on a white background
  • Wash 100 g enoki mushrooms, cut off the tough base, and separate them.
    the roots cut off of enoki mushrooms
  • Separate the leaves of the bok choy by pulling from the cut at the bottom of the stems.
    peeling apart the leaves of cooked bok choy
  • Cut them roughly in half to divide the thick stems and tender leaves.
    cut leaves and steams of bok choy on a wooden chopping board with Japanese knife
  • Pour 4 tbsp dashi stock (liquid, not powder) into a saucepan and add ½ tbsp mirin, 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu),and ¼ tsp salt. Boil for 1 minutes on medium heat, then reduce to a simmer, add the enoki mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes.
    Sauce for enoki and bok choy wasabi-ae in a saucepan on the stovetop
  • Turn off the heat, add the bok choy to the pan and mix.
    Bok choy and enoki mushrooms in broth in a saucepan on the stovetop
  • Pour the contents of the pan into a heatproof mixing bowl and leave to cool for 2-3 minutes. Mixing gently will help it cool faster.
    Bok choy and enoki mushrooms in broth in a steel mixing bowl on a white background
  • Take 2 pickled plums (umeboshi) and break them open to remove the pits. Use a knife to mash and chop them until they become a paste.
    umeboshi pasted on a wooden chopping board with seed removed
  • Add the pasted umeboshi to the bowl along with 1 tbsp bonito flakes (katsuobushi), 1 tsp wasabi paste and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. Mix well.
    Bok choy and enoki mushrooms in broth in a mixing bowl with pasted umeboshi and bonito flakes
  • Serve immediately (warm) or cool further and chill in the fridge. Upon serving, sprinkle with crushed roasted seaweed for sushi (nori) and toasted white sesame seeds. Enjoy!
    Wasabi-Ae salad with enoki mushrooms and bok choy held up with chopsticks close up

Notes

  • Spinach and Napa cabbage are good substitutes for bok choy. Enoki can be replaced with your favorite mushroom thinly sliced.
  • Add wasabi paste at the very end of preparation to preserve its volatile compounds and distinctive flavor. You can also add more to taste.
  • If you're using especially salty umeboshi (like homemade pickled plums), skip the salt altogether.
  • Store any leftovers for no more than 24 hours, as the wasabi flavor diminishes quickly and vegetables continue to soften.
  • Pat vegetables completely dry before dressing to prevent a watery final dish.