yu choy with garlic sauce

Yu choy (also known as choy sum), is a leafy green vegetable used often in Chinese cuisine. It’s high in calcium, iron, and vitamins A & B!

At Chinese restaurants, you’ll typically see yu choy on the menu as an alternative to gailan, and they’re most commonly served blanched with oyster sauce sauce drizzled on top. Gailan has thicker stems, firmer texture, and just a hint of bitterness, while yu choy is skinnier, typically a bit sweeter, and retains a refreshing light crunch when cooked well.

Did you know that steaming vegetables is one of the best ways to retain the nutrients during cooking? I like to save some of the steaming liquid to make the garlic sauce to retain even more nutrients that leech out.

Instead of the usual oyster sauce dressing you’d get at restaurants (or even make at home), I wanted to do a different — but still super easy — take on yu choy by making a quick garlic sauce. I hope you like it!

Please note: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Susanna 🍜 easy recipes (@smelly.lunchbox)

Recipe:

Yield: -4+

Author: Susanna

Print

With ImageWithout Image

yu choy with garlic sauce

( 0 reviews )

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

IngredientsUSMetric

• 15 stems of yu choy
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, canola)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)
• small pinch (1/16 tsp) of sugar
• ¼ cup veggie steaming liquid

Instructions

1. Wash the yu choy thoroughly to remove any dirt. I do this by swishing them around in a large bowl of water then rinsing in a colander. Remove any yellow or old leaves.
2. Steam yu choy for 2-3 min. 2 min for stems that are smaller than 1 cm in diameter, and 3 min (or more) for thicker stems. They should still be a just a little crunchy. Save at least ¼ cup of the steaming liquid.
3. Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic.
4. Heat up a pan to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Once warm, add minced garlic and stir fry until fragrant (or 1-2 min).
5. Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon oyster sauce. Mix well, then add ¼ cup of the saved steaming liquid.
6. Cook for another 1-2 min, then pour over your steamed yu choy. Optionally, you can use scissors to cut the yu choy into 3 pieces to make it easier to eat. Enjoy!