Lara Lee’s recipe for miso and gochujang butter pak choi

Who doesn’t love a sauce that soaks into every nook and cranny? The crunchy, celery-like stalks of pak choi and their tender, crisp leaves are the perfect vessel for this buttery miso and gochujang sauce. Vinegar and honey add a sweet-and-sour acidity, while the heat of chilli and gochujang pack the perfect punch. And if you can’t find pak choi? Swap it for any seasonal greens you can get your hands on.

Miso and gochujang butter pak choi

Serve with grilled fish, chicken or other Asian-inspired meals.

Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 2-4 as a side

2 tsp unsalted butter (10g), melted
1 tbsp white miso
2 tsp gochujang
½ tsp rice-wine vinegar
½ tsp honey
1 tbsp neutral oil, such as vegetable, sunflower or peanut
1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced seeds and all
1 bunch pak choi (about 250g), quartered lengthways and root ends removed

Combine the butter, miso, gochujang, vinegar and honey in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil on a medium-high heat, then stir-fry the garlic and chilli for about a minute, until fragrant.

Add the pak choi and a splash of water, then cover and leave to cook for a couple of minutes, until softened.

Add the miso mix, stir for a minute or two, until well combined, then take off the heat, transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

• Lara Lee is the author of A Splash of Soy, published by Bloomsbury at £22. To order a copy for £19.80, visit guardianbookshop.com