There are many reasons to sing the praises of Asian greens. They are easy to prepare (no trimming, peeling, or other busy work), quick to cook, and versatile — excellent in stir-fries, sautés, and soups. In addition, they are crunchy, delicious, and nutritious. In fact, they are the original fast food — quick and healthy — as far as you can get from those "fat foods" masquerading as "fast foods" all around us.
Asian greens are in the crucifer family, the superstars of good-for-you food. Cruciferous plants provide lots of vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, folic acid, beta-carotene, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. They are low in calories and high in fiber. If you think you eat a lot of greens, compare yourself to the Chinese, who typically eat one pound of greens a day, one-half of which are from the crucifer family.
The choys were first cultivated primarily for the oil that could be pressed from their seeds. But the young plants that were thinned from the fields were also used as a fresh vegetable. Bok choy has been grown in China at least since the fifth century and made its way to Europe in the mid-eighteenth century. Soon after, it came to North America, but it has only been in the last decade or so that Asian greens have moved into the mainstream.
The Asian greens are cool-weather crops, locally available in spring and fall. Start looking for them now in your local farmer’s market. Try a number of different kinds and feel free to substitute one type for another in most recipes, including the ones below. In all choy preparations, quick and simple are the watchwords. Don’t overcook and don’t overwhelm them with too many seasonings. After all, it’s the simple choys that give life its meaning.
Bok Choy (Chinese white cabbage)
Hong Kong farmers grow more than twenty kinds of bok choy. Many more varieties can be found across the mainland and in Taiwan. Here, we generally see only the kind with snow-white stalks, a slightly bulbous base, and green leaves. The stalks are mild and crunchy and the leaves pleasantly tangy. The stalks and leaves have quite different textures, so in culinary terms, it’s like getting two vegetables for the price of one. Be sure to give the stems a minute or two to cook before you put the leaves in so that each part cooks to perfection.
Bok choy is a versatile vegetable that may be stir fried, sautéed, braised, or boiled in soups. As a member of the crucifer family, it offers nutritional assets similar to those of other cabbages. It is rich in vitamin C and contains significant amounts of nitrogen compounds known as indoles, which appear to lower the risk of various forms of cancer. Bok choy is also a good source of folic acid. And with its deep green leaves, bok choy has more beta-carotene than other cabbages, and supplies considerably more calcium.
Basic Stir-fry with Peanut Oil and Garlic
1 pound bok choy, or a mixture of different choys
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt or soy sauce to taste
1. Cut stems into one-inch pieces and slice leaves coarsely.
2. Heat a wok or heavy frying pan. Pour in the oil. Add stems and toss over moderately high heat until somewhat softened, about two minutes.
3. Add sugar, garlic, salt, and soy sauce. Add reserved leaves. Toss another two minutes. Serve immediately.
Mei Qing Choy
This is also known as Shanghai bok choy, although now it is mostly grown in Taiwan. Mei qing choy is easy to recognize. Just look for a miniature bok choy with pale green rather than white stems. It is succulent and crunchy with a mild mustardy flavor. It tastes best when prepared simply: steam it, sauté it, or mix into a salad. The stalks are juicy and tender enough to eat raw, or they may be lightly steamed to bring out more flavor.
Mei Qing Choy with Garlic
2 Tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
4 teaspoons minced garlic
12 stalks mei qing choy
2 cups chicken stock or miso broth
1. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add garlic; sauté one minute.
2. Add bok choy and stock; simmer until choy is tender, turning occasionally, about eight minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Komatsuna
Komatsuna is a beautiful blue-green Japanese choy that is longer, leafier, and more slender than the Chinese choys. It has a slightly more assertive flavor than bok choy or mei qing choy but is not at all bitter or sharp. My sister-in-law, Hiroko, came up with this next recipe, which has been a hit with everyone, especially young children.
Hiroko’s Fusion Choy with Tahini-Soy Sauce Dip
1 medium head komatsuna (or 2-3 heads smaller choys)
1/4 cup tahini
1-3 Tablespoon water or lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons soy sauce to taste
1. Coarsely chop the komatsuna, leaving the stem portions about four inches long so that they will be a nice size for dipping.
2. Put stems into a steamer for two minutes; then add the leaves and steam for three to four minutes, until tender-crisp. Drain, pressing lightly to remove excess water.
3. Mix the tahini, water or lemon juice, and soy sauce in a bowl.
4. Serve, either by pouring the sauce over the komatsuna and tossing, or by letting each person dip pieces into the tahini-soy sauce. (This is the part children like.)
Yu Choy
Also called choy sum, this is a ubiquitous green in Hong Kong. Its name means "oil vegetable" and its seeds produce an oil similar to rapeseed (canola) oil, which was used for lamps and sometimes for cooking in ancient China. Choy sum is closely related to bok choy, but can be easily recognized by its narrow stems, long oval leaves, and — the dead giveaway — flowers, usually yellow but sometimes purple.
Sum in Cantonese means "flower stalk" and these varieties have petioles and leaves that tend to be less massive than the bok choy types. Chinese Tsai Shim and Tsoi-Sim are green varieties of the flowering bok choy. A purple variety of the flowering bok choy is Hon Tsai Tai. It has dark green, deeply-cut leaves with purple-red veins.
Yu choy is the most assertive of the choys, with a slightly bitter, mustard-like tang. As the weather gets cooler, the tang is balanced by a sweetness creating a perfect yin-yang taste experience. Simply stir-fry with just a little garlic or oyster sauce or black vinegar.
Yu Choy with Soy Sauce & Oyster Sauce
2 heads yu choy (1-1/2 pounds total)
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Cut choy crosswise into quarter-inch-thick slices. In a heavy skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and stir-fry yu choy with salt for two minutes
2. In a bowl stir together water and soy and oyster sauces. Add soy mixture and butter and stir-fry until crisp-tender, one to two minutes.
Tah Tsai (Tatsoi)
Also called Chinese flat cabbage, this distinctive green grows like a flat round plate — only a few inches tall but often more than a foot in diameter. It is easily identifiable with its dark green stems and emerald spoon-shaped leaves. The stalks turn sweet and almost creamy, and the leaves taste like a slightly mustardy Swiss chard. It is excellent raw when young. I recently discovered that the young leaves also make a tasty pesto that can be used for garnishing soups or spreading on crackers. As with the other choys, it is wonderful lightly sautéed or thrown into soups. Tah tsai is becoming as popular among Midwest farmers as it is among Asian farmers because it can withstand snow and frost, often remaining edible through December.
Sautéed Tah Tsai
2 heads tah tsai (about one pound)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1. Separate, wash, and dry the tatsoi leaves.
2. In a sauté pan, heat a little olive oil and cook the tah tsai for just a few minutes, until the leaves are wilted but the stems are still crisp. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Mizuna
Mizuna (kyona) is a graceful plant with bright green, feathery, slightly crunchy leaves. Baby leaves add a light, feathery element to mixed green salads. Mature leaves brighten the flavor of stir fries. Cooked or raw, the leaves have a slightly nutty, peppery flavor. You can use Mizuna alone or along with any other Asian green in this recipe.
Mixed Asian Green Stir Fry with Tofu
1-1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon dry sherry or mirin
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed hot Thai pepper
3-1/2 cups thinly sliced choys of your choice
3 green onions, cut into one-inch pieces
10 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into three-quarter-inch pieces
1. Combine first four ingredients in small bowl; mix well.
2. Heat vegetable oil until very hot in heavy large wok or skillet over high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and crushed Thai pepper. Stir-fry until aromatic, about thirty seconds.
3. Add bok choy and green onions and stir-fry about three minutes.
4. Add tofu and lightly stir-fry until tofu is just heated through, about two minutes.
5. Add soy mixture and stir-fry until liquid boils and thickens, about one minute.
Terra Brockman is the director of The Land Connection Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving farmland and promoting small-scale, diversified, organic agriculture in Illinois. Visit www.thelandconnection.org or call 309-965-2407 to learn how to get involved.