Choy sum is a mild and sweet green leafy vegetable often used in Chinese cuisine. It is a member of the genus Brassica of the mustard family, which include bok choy, napa cabbage, and tatsoi. Choy sum is the Cantonese name for the vegetable but I am used to calling it by its Chinese name, caixin (菜心).
Caixin with garlic and mushroom is a staple in Chinese households. The cooking process is very simple and takes only about ten minutes. Generally, we try not to add water when stir-frying leafy greens as they have their own moisture to begin with. The idea is to have the vegetable stalks soft but still firm. We also use a minimal amount of sauce to retain the natural flavour of the vegetable. So easy and so good!
Dark green leafy vegetables like choy sum are high in vitamins and iron, and are excellent for vegans!
If you are using king oyster mushroom like I did, here is what to do with the rest of the mushroom. The little inside bits of the mushroom can be used as vegan scallops, such as in this Scallops with Glass Noodles (素鲜贝粉丝) dish. The outside ring bits of the mushroom can be used as vegan squid, such as in this Sambal Sotong dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Slice the king oyster mushrooms, removing the brown caps. We will only be using the brown caps in this dish. You can also use shiitake mushrooms instead.
- Slice the mushroom. Separate the stalk segments and leaf segments of the choy sum.
-
Heat 1.5 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and add the mushrooms.
-
The mushroom will absorb all the oil in the beginning. The mushrooms will start to shrink and slowly release their moisture. Make a hole in the middle of the pan and add the garlic. Drizzle 0.5 tbsp of oil over the garlic.
-
Put the stalk segments of the choy sum over the garlic.
-
Cover the pan and let the choy sum cook in its own moisture for about 2 minutes.
-
When you uncover the pan, the stems should be softer but still bright green. Add the leaves of the choy sum and stir fry until soft.
-
When the leaves are cooked, add the vegan oyster sauce and toss to mix well.
-
Serve hot with rice or plain soup/dry noodles.
