Chinese Ingredients

[jogoode]

I see this vegetable often, but I'm never sure what it is. I asked a waitress a few nights ago, while I was eating a dish of "Enchanted Pork," littered with this vegetable.

It looks like it's been cut from a stalk. I typically see it cut into little, flat green rhombuses. It could very well be a regular old leek, but I can't tell. Any ideas?

[hzrt8w]

How does it taste? What kind of meat was it cooked with? Color?

[Yuki]

When I searched on google, it seems like Enchanted Pork might be double cooked pork.

I am thinking it might be young garlic shoot or another vegetable that I only know by its chinese name. How thick is the vegetable in width? Is it about the same size as green onion?

Edited December 9, 2004 by Yuki (log)

[jogoode]

How does it taste?  What kind of meat was it cooked with?  Color?

←

It is green and was cooked with pork. But different piece of this vegetable were different shades of green, which makes me think it might be a green onion.

When I searched on google, it seems like Enchanted Pork might be double cooked pork.

I am thinking it might be young garlic shoot or another vegetable that I only know by its chinese name.   How thick is the vegetable in width? Is it about the same size as green onion?

←

But then again the pieces were wider than those of green onion. Maybe it was a leek.

The Enchanted pork was like double cooked pork, except the meat wasn't as fatty. The waitress said the Enchanted pork meat was from a fatty portion of the leg, whereas (though you might know better than I would know) double cooked pork is made using meat from the belly.

[origamicrane]

if it tasted crucnhy had leaves and slightly bitter probably kai lan.

if it had a leaves a watery texture possibly choi sum,

if its looked like french beans might be garlic shoots,

if the flavour was non distinct it might actually be elderly asparagus thats been peeled.

[jo-mel]

The last two times I had twice cooked pork (2 different restaurants) the vegetable was jiu cai hua -- garlic shoots.

Here is a link to a picture of the vegetable:

http://chinesefood.about.com/

[PCL]

My bet's on garlic shoots.

Absolutely tasty. Can eat it every day. Wonderful, um, garlicky flavours but green and fresh. Everyone should have some. It's good for you.

Honestly....

Really...

[Qing]

Ms. Jo-Mel,

Jiu-Cai Hua is the chive flower, and Garlic Shoot should be Suan Miao.

We use garlic shoot in the Double Cooked Pork, but shredded pork goes well with just Chives. I think Chive's flavor is strong enough.

Have you tried to dry sautee the shredded pork and fresh green Chives, maybe add some of dry bean curd? it taste great!

[jo-mel]

Ms. Jo-Mel,

Jiu-Cai Hua is the chive flower, and Garlic Shoot should be Suan Miao.

We use garlic shoot in the Double Cooked Pork, but shredded pork goes well with just Chives. I think Chive's flavor is strong enough.

Have you tried to dry sautee the shredded pork and fresh green Chives, maybe add some of dry bean curd? it taste great!

←

Hao Jiu bu jian!

When I was in Beijing in 1984, I had the stalk with the bulb,and loved them. I asked what it was and was told 'Suan miao'. So when I was next in NYC's Chinatown I asked for them. No grocer knew what I was talking about. Then I saw them!! I said "Suan Miao"!!!!!. They said: "No -- Jiu Cai Hua"!!

I know the firm stalk with the top bulb, and the flat chive - both green and yellow. So what is the correct name for each?

The dishes I've used the flat green or the flat yellow (blanched) have been either with shredded chicken or shredded pork. I love the subtle flavor of dishes with chives.

[Qing]

The bulb of the Garlic Shoot should be much larger than the Chive's, but the same problem you and me have__in China, in different lacation, people call the same thing as hundreds different names.

Let me give the names in Chinese, so you can show the people in Chinese food market. A simple concept, the people who work there do not speak good English, otherwise they could find a better job, ha...

Jiu Cai Hua (Chive Flower): 韭菜花

Suan Miao (Garlic Shoot): 蒜苗

And I read Gary Soup's web site, he and his wife did a very good research of translates Chinese cooking names and terms into English.

[PCL]

Nothing wrong with working in a food market. I do not agree with your statement at all. If they weren't there, you wouldn't get what you want.

You need them , they need you. No one is better off.

[helenas]

These two threas are actually talking about the same vegetable - asian leeks aka suan miao: Chinese Leeks.

They're in season right now so make sure you get some to make Fuchsia Dunlop's Twice-Cooked Pork (hui guo rou)