Master Garlic Veggie Stir-Fry

I’ve always struggled to get leafy greens cooked perfectly at home—they either turn out too watery or overcooked and yellow. I wanted to learn how to make restaurant-style garlic veggies with that glossy, savoury glaze. I found a great tutorial video by Made With Lau that shows exactly how to prep and stir-fry greens like Choy Sum, and I adapted their technique for this recipe.

Here is the master recipe for a garlic veggie stir-fry, which works beautifully for 300g of leafy greens like Chye Sim, Bok Choy, Kailan, or Spinach.

Ingredients

• 300g Baby Chye Sim: Or Kailan, Bok Choy, Spinach
• Garlic: 3–4 cloves (2 minced for fragrance, 2 thinly sliced for texture and presentation)
• Ginger: 2 small, quartered slices
• Initial Cooking Oil: 1 tbsp
• Finishing Oil: 1 tsp (regular cooking oil or sesame oil)
• Water: 3 tbsp total (1 tsp for initial sauce toss, 2 tbsp for steaming)

Sauce Combo:

• Oyster sauce: 1 tbsp
• Light soy sauce: 1 tsp
• Sugar: ½ tsp
• Chicken powder / Bouillon: ¼ tsp (optional)
• Salt: A small pinch (add at the end only if needed)

Method

1. Smart Prep

• Stem Trim: Cut off the white base of the stems until no tough white core remains. If any stems feel too fibrous to bend easily, trim them down with a knife.
• Angle Cuts: Slice stems at a sharp angle to separate them from the leaves so they cook evenly.
• Sauce Mix: Combine oyster sauce, light soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl.

2. Bloom Aromatics

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok/pan over high heat.
• Drop heat to low, add both the minced garlic, sliced garlic, and ginger.
• Stir-fry for 15–20 seconds until fragrant (without burning).

3. Stems First

• Raise heat to medium-high.
• Add only the stems and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

4. Leaves & Sauce

• Add the leaves along with your pre-mixed sauce and 1 tsp water.
• Toss rapidly on medium-high heat for 30 seconds.

5. Controlled Steam

• Pour in the remaining 2 tbsp water, cover with a lid, and drop heat to low.
• Steam for 1 to 1.5 minutes (this softens the stems while preserving a bright green colour).

6. High-Heat Finish & Glaze

• Remove the lid and turn heat to high to evaporate excess moisture.
• Sprinkle in chicken powder/salt (if using).
• Drizzle 1 tsp finishing oil over the top.
• Toss rapidly on high heat for 20 seconds to coat everything in a glossy sheen, then plate immediately.

Disclaimer: The ideas presented in this post are solely my personal perspective and have not been substantiated by any verifiable evidence. Please form your own opinions on such matters.