liuzhou

Pisum sativum Known as 豌豆苗 (Mand: wān dòu miáo; Cant: wun2 dau6*2 miu4) in Chinese, pea shoots are indeed the leaves of the young plants grown from your common peas. They can be used in salads, but in China they are more commonly used in stir-fries or in soups and hot pots. They taste of, surprise surprise, peas and a light cooking seems to bring out their sweetness. We also get pea sprouts, 豌豆芽 (Mand: wān dòu yá; Cant: wun2 dau6 ngaa4), which are grown and used in the same way as any other bean sprout.

Yes, but that is the gourd. I'm talking about the shoots here.

Lillium brownii Related to the last post are lily bulbs. All lily bulbs are edible, but I do not suggest you head down to your local garden centre for a few. Although they won’t do you any harm, most are somewhat bitter. Three varieties found in China, Lillium lancifolium, L. pumilum, and L. brownii,. lack the bitterness (not that the Chinese mind a bit of bitterness) and are widely used in stir fries and soups. In Guangxi, they are often served with Chinese celery as noted above. Known locally as 百合 Mand: bǎi hé; Cant: baak3 hap), they are cleaned, separated into ‘petals’ and briefly cooked to release their flowery scent, slightly sweet flavour and crunchy texture. I like ’em. They come fresh and dried, but I’ve only ever eaten the fresh variety, which are available in packs of four in many supermarkets. You find them in the chill cabinet where they have plastic wrapped meats and the like.

Xanthorrhoeaceae Hemerocallidoideae Day lilies (some times referred to as one word – daylily) are flowers. They are a lot prettier than their Latin name suggests. The name comes from their habit of flowering only for one day then dying off. There are dozens of varieties in different colours. One variety, a yellow flowered variety, is used in Chinese cuisine. Known as 黄花菜 (Mand: huáng huā cài; Cant: wong4 faa1 coi3) in Chinese (literally “yellow flower vegetable”) or, when dried, 金针/金針 (Mand: jīn zhēn; Cant: gam1 zam10 meaning “Golden Needles”, they are an essential ingredient in the northern pork and scrambled egg dish, 木须肉/木須肉 (Mand: mù xū ròu; Cant: muk4 sou1 juk6) “Moo Shu pork”, but also feature extensively in soups, frequently appearing in hot and sour soups 酸辣汤 Mand: suān là tāng; Cant: syun1 laat6 tong10 or simply just as a simple “Day Lily Soup”. I’ve even made day lily omelettes. Dried Day Lilies They are seldom available fresh, but very easy to find the dried variety. In fact, every supermarket has them.

Pteridum Aquilinim As I am sure many of you know, brake or bracken is a form of edible fern. It is known in Chinese as 蕨菜 (Mand: jué cài; Cant: kyut3 coi3) or 山蕨菜 (Mand: shān jué cài; Cant: saan1 kyut3 coi3). For those who don't know (they are not common in the UK, for example) the purple stems are topped with young unopened fronds. At this stage, the fronds are known as ‘fiddleheads’ because of their supposed resemblance to er, the heads of fiddles! Or to the tuning keys on said instrument. These are particularly valued. The vegetable with its stems is fried with meat – beef, chicken or even shrimp. The fiddleheads can be simply sautéed for about 5 minutes then lightly dressed with lemon juice, and are wonderful with simple steamed fish. They are also sold on supermarket salad counters as below. Some people say the taste is close to that of asparagus. Not sure about that, but they are good. Fiddlehead Salad Brake roots are also used to make a type of black noodles, which resemble squid ink pasta. Fried Brake Root Vermicelli with pork Health Warning Pteridum Aquilinim is considered by some authorities to be a carcinogen and there are suggestions that its popularity in Japan may be a contributory factor in the high rates of stomach cancer found there.

Sechium edule I guess most people are familiar with chayote, the gourd also known among other names, as christophene, vegetable pear, mirliton, choko etc. In Chinese it is 佛手瓜 (Mand: fó shǒu guā; Cant: fat6 sau2 gwaa1 ), literally, Buddha’s hand gourd. Perhaps less well known is that the leaves and young shoots of the chayote vine are also edible and a popular vegetable in southern China. Often described as 龙须菜/龍須菜 (Mand: lóng xū cài; Cant: lung4 seoi1 coi3), literally 'dragon beard vegetable', they also are sometimes more prosaically described as 佛手瓜苗 (Mand: fó shǒu guā miáo; Cant: fat6 sau2 gwaa1 miu4), meaning chayote shoots. Sometimes they come with pretty white flowers which are also edible. Chayote shoots are usually simply stir fried with garlic as a green vegetable dish. Stir fried chayote shoots I'll deal with the chayote gourd separately, when I get round to the many gourds.

Apium graveolens var. secalinum Alef. Chinese celery or leaf celery. Thinner and leafier than what you may call 'regular' celery, Chinese celery is curved into round, hollow stalks. Frequently used and sold along with 蒜苗 (Mand: suàn miáo; Cant: syun3 miu4) above, this is known in Chinese as 芹菜 (Mand: qín cài; Cant: kan4 coi3). It is used extensively in hot pots, but also simply stir fried with the leaves as a side dish. Here in Guangxi, a popular dish is Chinese celery with day lily, chilli and cashew nuts. We also get regular celery which is 西芹 (Mand: xī qín; Cant: sai1 kan4), meaning 'western celery'. It is less popular.

Tonight I made a popular local dish. 啤酒鸭 (pí jiǔ yā). A mix of duck leg and breast meat and the liver. Braised with garlic, ginger, chilli, Sichuan peppercorns, local beer and 豆瓣酱 (dòu bàn jiàng) - spicy fermented broad bean paste, known only in America as "Toban Djan". Finished with scallions. Served with stir fried Shanghai bok choy and rice. This is a powerfully flavoured dish. If your Asian store has 豆瓣酱 (dòu bàn jiàng) from Pixian 郫县 (pí xiàn) in Sichuan, buy it! It is by far the best. Cheaper varieties, including Lee Kum Kee, cut corners and sub soy beans for the broad beans - not the same at all.

Home made flat bread with home made cream cheese, tomato, home made pesto (featuring balcony grown basil). Sea salted.

Another little known and very local vegetable. Telosma cordata Tonkin jasmine goes under many English names such as pakalana vine, Tonkinese creeper, Chinese violet, cowslip creeper, telosoma etc. In Chinese it is 夜香花 (Mand: yè xiāng huā; Cant: je6 hoeng1 faa1) or 夜来香 (Mand: yè lái xiāng; Cant: je6 loi4 hoeng1) It is a flowering plant native to Guangdong and Guangxi of China and also cultivated in Vietnam (on the Bay of Tonkin, hence the name.) It has a delicate lemony scent and is used in both southern Chinese and northern Vietnamese cuisine (where it is known as bông thiên lý.) Tonkin jasmine is usually stir fried, often with eggs, with which it has a particular affinity, or is boiled in soups, often with fish. It is also added to many noodle dishes in Vietnam. Tonkin Jasmine Scrambled Eggs Me likes it.

Here's an odd one. At least it was to me when I first encountered it 22 years ago in Hunan province. Houttuynia cordata This is known in English as lizard's tail, fish mint, fish leaf, rainbow plant, chameleon plant, heart leaf, fish wort, or bishop's weed. In Chinese, it is usually 鱼腥草/魚腥草 (Mand: yú xīng cǎo; Cant: jyu4*2 sing1 cou2) which means “fish smell grass”, which sounds delightful. Other names include 截儿根 (Mand: jié ér gēn; Cant: zit6 ji4 gan1), literally "stem young root", 猪鼻拱/豬鼻拱 (Mand: zhū bí gǒng; Cant: zyu1 bei6 gung2) literally "pig's nose snuffle" and 臭草 (Mand: chòu cǎo; Cant: cau3 cou2), literally "stinking grass". The latter name is confusingly also used for the unrelated herb, rue. The leaves, flowers, stems and roots are all edible. I have eaten the leaves in Vietnam, served with bánh xèo. The leaves do have a faint fishy smell, but 'stinking' is an exaggeration. The leaves are also dried and used to make a 'tea' in Japan and Korea. The flowers are also used in teas. Houttunyia Sprigs Variegated Houttunyia Houtuynia Flower This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Despite the weird names, these have little if any noticeable odour. They are served, often in a mild chilli sauce, at the beginning of banquets alongside peanuts and sunflower seeds. You know; something to keep you amused while waiting for the important people to turn up. It is sold in the sauce on the prepared salads counter in most supermarkets, as well as being sold au naturel.

I was in the supermarket this morning and noticed that they had two varieties of the regular garlic. The first was labelled 白蒜 (Mand: bái suàn; Cant: baak6 syun3 ), 'white garlic'. The second was 香蒜 (Mand: xiāng suàn; Cant: hoeng1 syun3), where 香 means 'fragrant; sweet-smelling; aromatic; scented; savoury; appetizing; perfume or spice' among others. I had just bought a batch of the single headed variety in the farmer's market, so passed on these. I may do a taste test in the future to see what the difference is, if any.

I eat them cold. As they are meant to be eaten. 😄 Yes, I usually make them with quail eggs, but this time used chicken's eggs because that was what I had on a torrentially rainy day and I wasn't going out to restock.

Beautiful.

Home made scotch egg (chicken's) with 酸梅酱 suān méi jiàng - sour plum sauce.

While on the subject of garlic, I will mention that we do, of course, get regular garlic. In Chinese, 大蒜 (Mand: dà suàn; Cant: daai6 syun3). In fact, a lot of what may be available to you may be Chinese garlic. I find it milder in taste to that we get in Europe. In addition, we get this single headed garlic known as 独蒜 (Mand: dú suàn; Cant: duk6 syun3) from Yunnan province. This is my go to garlic. Easier to peel, chop and crush. One head is the equivalent of two or three cloves. Both varieties are also available as black fermented garlic. 黑蒜 (Mand: hēi suàn; Cant: hak1 syun3). for the regular variety. and 黑独蒜 (Mand: hēi dú suàn; Cant: hak1 duk6 syun3) for the single headed type.

Now, I get confused. These are described locally as 蒜苗 (Mand: suàn miáo; Cant: syun3 miu4), which translates as garlic shoots. To give you an idea of scale, those tiles are 51cm / 20 inches square. Hmm. Most suspicious. Look more like scallion/green onion/spring onion to me. To compound my suspicions, we also get these. 蒜芯 (Mand: suàn xīn; Cant: syun3 sam1) or garlic scapes. Surely if garlic has 'scapes' it can't have 'shoots'. But what do I know? I am a linguist not a botanist. It all 'scapes me.

Allium tuberosum 韭菜 (Mand: jiǔ cài; Cant: gau2 coi3) is known by several names in English including garlic chives, Oriental garlic, Asian chives, Chinese chives, Chinese leek etc. These also come in two other forms. Those above are the leafy stems. Left to grow a little. they develop flower buds. At this stage, they are sold as 韭花 (Mand: jiǔ huā; Cant: gau2 faa1) where 花 means 'flower'. Then we have 韭黄 (Mand: jiǔ huáng; Cant: gau2 wong4), which are the stems of the same plant, but grown under reduced light conditions so that they do not develop the green colour, but are yellow, the meaning of 黄. To my palate and nose, this technique also increases the garlic flavour and scent considerably. This is a good thing in my book. All of these forms are used to finish off stir fries and also frequently added to various forms of dumplings, especially jiaozi. I've seen the green stems pickled like kimchi and been served the yellow ones just as a vegetable side dish. Also, the green stems (first picture) are often grilled over charcoal at road side stalls and sold for next to nothing. You can see them in the image below, taken at a roadside grill place in Nanning, Guangxi. Finally, they are used in pancakes in the same manner as scallion pancakes.

Actually, I usually make them with quail eggs, too. These were simply seasoned salt with black pepper (lots). More usually, I add white pepper and chilli flakes to the pork casing. I've also used ground cumin and coriander seed on occasion. I also, make them with a mix of pork and blood sausage. Back in England, I would add various spices and herbs I can't get here. Or make them with sausage meat which was already flavoured.

Although, it is good to be healthy, it is not good to be obsessive about it. One "unhealthy meal" in a while won't hurt. And having been looking at vegetables all week for the Chinese vegetable topic, I avoided them tonight (except potatoes which are for the duration awarded an honorary exemption from vegetable-ness). Home made Scotch eggs (chicken eggs) and chips. There are two more in the fridge for later. 6,666

Look what I've done to my local store in order to bring you this topic! 9 am. 5 pm. Actually, it's not down to me or you. It's like this every day. This is one of five vegetable shelving areas. They all look much the same.

Allium ampeloprasum These are, of course, what I, and probably you, call leeks. One of my favourite vegetables. In my local supermarkets, they are 大葱/大蔥 (Mand: dà cōng; Cant: daai6 cung1), which means 'big onion'. There are also what are sometimes known as Chinese leeks. I'll get to them tomorrow.

They are, I believe, chickens used in egg production. When their ovaries pack in and they stop laying, they are sold as you describe. I don't know your store, but that's certainly what they are here. They certainly make better soups and stocks.

Allium Chinense 荞头/蕎頭 (Mand: qiáo tóu; Cant: kiu4 tau4) are also known in English as Chinese bulbous onions, Chinese onion,[Chinese scallion, glittering chive, Japanese scallion, Jiangxi scallion, and Oriental onion. They are mildly flavoured. The bulbs are also often pickled and served at the start of banquets and wedding feasts to keep you going until all the guests arrive. I use the pickled onions a lot in a non-Chinese way - with cheese and in sandwiches. Good with chicken liver pâté, too. I have no respect.

Time now for onions and related items. What we call onions is not always what the Chinese call onions. The base word for 'onion' in Chinese is 葱/蔥 (Mand: cōng; Cant: cung1), but used on its own, it refers not to what you may call an onion, but to a 'leek'. What I call an onion is referred to as 洋葱/洋蔥 (Mand: yáng cōng; Cant: joeng4 cung1). They are common enough here, but 20 years ago they were very difficult to find. We nearly always only get red onions, but occasionally white onions turn up (as they did last week for a few days). The next few entries will help us 'know our onions', Chinese style. There will be tears before bedtime.