Chinese Greens

In Chinese and Asian cuisine vegetables are usually stir-fried or steamed at a very high temperature and for a very short time, this way the all the goodness and crunchiness remains. Chinese greens naturally lend themselves to this type of cooking and a good wok, a good burner and a bamboo steamer are essential. Cooking the asian way is another philosophy altogether, but we won't go into that here.

Here are some of the favorites:

Bok choy, one of the chief ingredients in stir fries, it is mild and sweetish.

Chinese mustard, similar to spinach but more nutritious.

Chinese broccoli or kale has small heads, lots of leaves and is not as bitter as rapini.

Collard greens, these can be substituted by mustard greens which are spicier

Een choy or kai choy OR Chinese mustard cabbage. Asian cooks pickle it, but blanching before is recommended. It's used in soups and stir-fries.

The thing to remember when cooking á la chinoise is: have ALL your ingredients chopped and ready and heat your wok until white hot. I once saw a Chinese friend prepare a bowl of steaming soup in less than two minutes: all the greens, spices and a tiny bit of chopped meat went into the bowl with cold water, then with the aid of tongs he placed a small white-hot stone (granted, the stone had been heating up for quite some time) into the bowl and presto! Instant soup.