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If you are after a super quick, easy, delicious, and healthy side dish, look no further!
This recipe for Easy Spicy Chinese Yu Choy ticks all these boxes! Run, don't walk, to your local Asian market and buy this wonderful Chinese green so that you can enjoy this dish! 😊
What Is Yu Choy?
Yu Choy is a green leafy vegetable commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It is also known as Chinese flowering cabbage and Choy Sum.
"Flowering cabbage" is an apt name, as you can see below that this vegetable characteristically has small beautiful yellow flowers.
The flowers, stalks, and stems are all edible!
What Does This Vegetable Taste Like?
Yu Choy has an earthy and slightly peppery taste. It also has some sweet and bitter undertones. The taste is quite complex, and incredibly delicious!
Choy Sum vs. Bok Choy
You may wonder if Choy Sum is the same as Bok Choy. Although they are related, these greens are different in both taste and appearance.
Choy Sum is green and leafy, and bears small yellow flowers.
Boy Choy has a white bulb (or stalk) and dark green leaves.
They are both equally delicious, but this particular recipe calls for Choy Sum.
What Ingredients Will I Need For This Dish?
You will need the following ingredients to make this dish:
- Yu Choy
- Salt
- Spicy Chili Crisp (or your favorite Asian Chili oil)
- Soy Sauce
- Oyster Sauce
- Hot Sesame Oil (or regular sesame oil)
- Pepper (white is preferred but black pepper will work as well!)
The hardest part of this dish is gathering the ingredients! Now that you have accomplished the hard part, let's blanch some Yu Choy!
Instructions
You won't believe how easy it is to make this delicious vegetable side dish!
First, combine the sauce ingredients (everything except the Yu Choy and salt) in a small bowl.
Wash the greens well, and then blanch it in boiling and salted water. Blanch anywhere from 30 sec to 1.5 minutes depending on how tender you want your dish to be and how thick the stalks are. You definitely don't want to overdo the blanching. Try to shoot for tender yet crunchy greens!
If your stalks are very thick, you have the option to cut them off and begin blanching those first, followed by the tender leaves for the last 30 seconds of blanching.
Then drain using tongs, and allow the water to drip off the vegetable. Aim for as much water to drip off as possible.
Finally, place on a plate and drizzle the spicy sauce over the Yu Choy!
How To Serve This Chinese Dish!
Serve this fantastic side dish alongside your favorite Chinese main! It would pair well with Chinese BBQ Spare Ribs or perhaps Tantalizing Melt In Your Mouth Dong Po Rou!
You can also just enjoy it with some steamed rice.
Once you try this dish, you'll develop a strong craving for Yu Choy!
Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
The One and Only Hot and Numbing Chengdu Chicken
Healthy and Nutritious Spicy Edamame!
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Cheers!
Grace
Easy Spicy Chinese Yu Choy!
Equipment
- large pan for blanching
Ingredients
- ½ lb yu choy
- ½ ts salt to add to the water when blanching the yu choy
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Spicy Chili Crisp (or your favorite Asian Chili oil)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 ts hot sesame oil can sub regular sesame oil
- pepper to taste (white is preferred but can use black)
Instructions
- Combine the sauce ingredients (everything except the Yu Choy and salt) in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add ½ ts salt. Wash the yu choy well, and then blanch it in the water for 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes depending on how tender you want your dish to be and how thick the stalks are. Drain using tongs, allowing the water to drip off the vegetables.
- Place on a plate and drizzle the spicy sauce over the Yu Choy!
