Before the holidays, I ate SO many cookies. Too many cookies. I was feeling a bit sluggish and vowed to eat super healthy at the beginning of the year. Basically, like everyone else in the world lol. But then I went to Peru and drank the water (from a glass of chicha that wasn’t boiled) and couldn’t eat for nearly a week and a half. When I returned this Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry with Garlic Bok Choy was in order!
Most of the time—especially during the week—I want something FAST.This dish is it! It comes together in literally under an hour. The cooking takes about 30 minutes. It’s from Cynthia’s new book, A Common Table: 80 Recipes and Stories from My Shared Cultures. I cannot tell you how much I love this book. There are tons of recipes I want to try. This one popped out at me because it was something I could see myself making over and over and over.
I love dishes like that!
How This Recipe Starts!
This one begins with marinating the shrimp for about 30 minutes to an hour. You can even do this in the morning before you leave for work. The bok choy is super delicious and fresh tasting and all it takes is a bit of slicing the ends off and that’s it.
I served this with warm rice because rice will forever be a great love of mine. YAS: Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry with Garlic Bok Choy!!
If you like, serve it with some quinoa or brown rice or simply just eat the shrimp with bok choy. Also be sure to check out Cynthia’s book because there are SO many good looking recipes.
And if you know me, you know that my favorite stir-fry of all time is Lomo Saltado, a Peruvian recipe. I need to make that for the blog! Phew. But this Squash Saltado is a a vegan option that is really, really delicious!

Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry with Garlicky Bok Choy
Ingredients
Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on, if desired)
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine, dry sherry or sake (I used rice wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 to 2 cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or neutral oil
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions (from 2 to 3 scallions), plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup green peas (if frozen, thawed to room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic paste (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinkiang black vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
Garlicky Bok Choy
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
- 1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy (6 to 8 bunches), ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
Instructions
To Make the Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry
- In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, rice wine, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper, and stir until ingredients are thoroughly distributed. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the mixture and stir again until evenly coated. Cover and marinated in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- In a large wok or skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat until shimmering and very hot. Add the scallions and cook briefly, just until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the shrimp--the wok should sizzle loudly--and cook, tossing with a spatula every so often, until the shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the peas, chili garlic paste, and vinegar (if using). Stir to incorporate, and serve immediately.Â
To Make the Garlicky Bok Choy
- In a large wok or skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high until shimmering and very hot. Add the garlic and cook briefly, just until fragrant, 30 seconds or less. Add the bok choy--it shoudl sizzle very loudly as it hits the oil. Sauté briefly, tossing the bok choy vigorously, until evenly coated in oil.Â
- Add the chicken stock, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Let steam until the bok choy steams are tender and the leaves are dark green and wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot, with rice.Â
The prawns were nice, the rest a disappointment, recipe now in kitchen bin
Is there any way to make this dish all in one skillet?
This is really delightful.
I served it over udon noodles.
I doubled the sauce ingredients to allow for the noodles to soak up the flavor.
Full flavored.
I made this tonight! It was so good and easy to make. Thank you fo sharing this recipe.
Excellent,.we really enjoyed this meal
Really loved this recipe, great flavors!
hello- we really like the entire dish- delicious.
But I must say that the instructions could be clearer. ie Drain shrimp from marinade before tossing in oil to cook? Or keep marinade in the dish?
Also I used different amts of the ingredients for more flavor.
Recipe calls for 1 1/2 lbs of bok chow-3 bunches or 4 small bunches is plenty, but you suggest 6 bunches which would overwhelm the dish? Thx!
Loved this! Easy, quick and lots of flavor. I served on top of cauliflower rice and used edamame instead of peas.
I made this today and loved it! Swapped rice for angel hair pasta and added a squeeze of lemon at the end and it was restaurant level amazing! Loved the marinade and the mix all the flavors at the end. Slicing the bok choy to sear on an iron skillet before mixing in garlic and broth really bring it home. Thanks!
VERY nice; thank you. During two of my visits with my in-laws in Chile I too became subject to Chilienitis: once through lettuce leaves washed in tap water, once from ice cubes made from same. When my wife and I moved here, I started mixing some tap water in with bottled and achieved immunity in about four weeks, thank goodness. Our son, on the other hand, has never been bothered during his visits here (sigh).
It’s so delicious and so quick and easy I will be making this again And again thank you so much!
Made this yesterday, and it was happily eaten by both a toddler and a 9-month-old. With coconut rice. We loved it!
LOVE IT!
Really a quick, easy and delicious recipe for winter dinner. Totally fond of your recipe.
Made this tonight and it was so good. Light, but filling. Peas are sublime. Cut in half (except the garlic) with great success. Highly recommend!
ahh love hearing this!
Glad you’re feeling better. I used to do business in Peru & Chile and got what they termed “Chileinitis” a couple of times, NOT FUN! I feel your pain. Ginger is always good for what ails us, trying this recipe soon.