'Vegetables' Chinese Ingredients

The Chinese love to eat vegetables, and the leafy green vegetables of the Brassica family are their special favorites. They boil or stir-fry them, but only for a short time, so that the vegetables retain both their crispness and their vitamins. They frequently use a little meat to enhance the taste of vegetable dishes, and, conversely, use some vegetables in meat dishes to provide an interesting texture.

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Chinese flowering cabbage

This vegetable is usually served stir-fried or simply blanched.

Mustard green

This variety of mustard green is less bitter than many others, and it is usually served blanched or stir-fried, or in soup.

Bean sprouts

Bean sprouts Tender sprouts of mung beans, used to provide a crunchy texture.

Sugar peas

Sugar peas Tender, flat green pea pods with barely formed peas. Usually served lightly blanched or stir-fried.

Chinese celery cabbage

Chinese celery cabbageSweet, mild-flavored cabbage, usually stir-fried or braised.

Chinese chives

Chinese chives Used to provide flavor, they are stronger than chives, although more fibrous in texture.

Chinese white cabbage

Chinese white cabbage Although similar in taste to Swiss chard, it is sweeter and juicier.

Mustard green

Mustard green This more pungent variety of mustard green is served pickled or in soup.

This Ingredients List was published in 'Yan-kit’s Chinese Cookbook by "Yan-Kit So (Foreword by Claudia Roden)" - p12 and p13'