Wo Sun -- Asparagus Stem

[jo-mel]

I've like Wo Sun when I've had it, but when I've made it myself, it was pickled, or a poor attempt to stir/fry it.

Any ideas on a recipe that would make it stand out? I've looked through some of my Chinese cookbooks, but except for some basic information, I haven't, as yet, found any recipes. Going google was no help.

Any ideas?

[hzrt8w]

Any ideas on a recipe that would make it stand out?

JM: In Cantonese style: stir-fry Asparagus with beef in black bean sauce. Also good is to slice them up and put them in a soup (e.g. chicken broth based) with egg-white. We also do crab-meat with Asparagus: blanch the asparagus first, then cook the crab-meat together with egg white and pour the mixture on top of the asparagus.

I am sure with your experience you can fill in the blanks in these recipes.

[jo-mel]

萵 笋 (筍) Are we on the same page?

The stem was rather tough, so I par-boiled them in strips. I will do it with beef and black beans.

[Gary Soup]

Ju Ju shaves the stalk with a potato peeler and makes a nice cold appetizer with it. It has a nice refreshing cucumber-y taste to it. I don't think she's ever used it in any other way.

[tissue]

You can stir fry them with some scallops and minced garlic.

[jo-mel]

Scallops with garlic would make an eye appealing presentation. (or shrimp)

In China, I had it 'stir/fried with chicken', but I didn't write down what the sauce was, in my 'food log'. I've had it 'stir/fried with radish', also -- again I didn't write the sauce flavor.

I did peel them with a potato parer, until the tough exterior was gone. When they were parboiled, the translucent green was beautiful, but the clear color was lost with the black beans. Tasty dish, tho.

Next purchase will be for a cold appetizer. I've done a cold appetizer a la Barbara Tropp, using broccoli stems. A beautiful dish, and my guests could not tell what the vegetable was! The stalks, sliced diagonally and blanched, have that same beautiful translucence as the wo sun. No one would ever guess what this vegetable is , if I used it!

Thanks to all of you, for your help.

[hzrt8w]

I just picked up Martin Yan's book "Martin Yan's Asian Favorites". On page 30 he has a dish called "Asparagus Beef Rolls". He uses one slice of beef, bacon, enoki mushrooms and julienned bell pepper to roll up on an asparagus spear, uses toolthpick to secure them, then fries it over high heat. It's an interesting presentation. I wish he had included a picture of that dish.

Edited July 9, 2004 by hzrt8w (log)