Stir-fried Mustard Greens (Gai Choy) w/ Fish Cake

[hzrt8w]

Pictorial Recipe

Stir-fried Mustard Greens (Gai Choy) with Fish Cake (鱼雲抄芥菜)

Mustard green is a popular Chinese vegetable readily available in California. It has a slightly bitter taste. It is not suitable to eat raw as salad, but it tastes very good when stir-fried with some meat slices. I like to cook it with fish cake, which is ground fish meat, deep-fried. They make fish cake in the shape of a rectangular slab or a ball or a round disc. You can find them in many Asian markets.

Serving Suggestion: 2 - 3

Preparations:

Main ingredients (left to right, clockwise):

- 1 1/2 lb of Chinese mustard green

- Fermented bean curds (use 2 to 3 cubes)

- 1/2 to 1 lb fish cake (the one in plastic bag)

- Garlic - use 3 to 4 cloves

- Ginger - use 1 inch in length

- Dried shrimp - use about 2 tblsp

Cooking:

- 5 tblsp of cooking oil

- 1/4 tsp of salt (or to taste)

This is the main feature: Chinese mustard green. Wash and cut into 2 to 3 inch in length.

This is also the main feature: Fried fish cake. The one shown in the picture is 14 oz, vacuum sealed and shrink-wrapped in a plastic bag.

Remove the plastic bag and cut the fish cake into 1/8 inch slices.

Prepare the fermented bean curds, use about 2 to 3 small cubes (or more - adjust to your taste). Also, prepare 2 to 3 tblsp of dried shrimp. No need to soak them in water. Just cook as-is.

Peel and mince 3-4 cloves of garlic. Grate about 1 inch in length of ginger.

Cooking Instructions:

Use a wok/pan, set stove to high. Add 2 tblsp of cooking oil. Add the fish cake slices.

Try to spread the fish cake slices around evenly on the wok surface so they are browned evenly.

Remove the fish cake once they are slightly browned.

Add 2-3 tblsp of cooking oil in the wok. Add the dried shrimp and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and 1/4 tsp of salt (or to taste).

Add the fermented bean curds. Use the spatula to smash the bean curds and stir well with the garlic/ginger and dried shrimp. Fry for about 30 seconds to a minute.

Add the Chinese mustard greens. Stir well.

Cook with the lid on for about 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables turn soft. Stir occassionally.

Return the fish cake slices.

Stir-fry for another minute or so. Finished. Transfer to the serving plate.

Picture of the finished dish.

[warlockdilemma]

Finally a weekend pictorial from Ah Leung Kuo....as always looks delicious and simple ....Gai Choy (or Kai Thoi in Toisan) is a green that grows on you....did not like it as much as a kid because of the bitter taste but now is one of my fave greens...In fact my mom used to make it in soup also adding dried shrimps and ginger.....yummm....going back home next week for a 3 week break,cant wait to get my mom to make all my comfort food.......

[Dejah]

In fact my mom used to make it in soup also adding dried shrimps and ginger.....yummm....going back home next week for a 3 week break,cant wait to get my mom to make all my comfort food.......

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The only stir-fried version I have had is just after CNY with tay doi - deep-fried sesame dumpling balls. These always collapse after the "offering time". This pastry is stir-fried with guy choi for a sweet/savory/bitter dish.

I have been eating this mustard greens soup for 2 weeks because my niece brought several plants home!

I had posted this in the Chinese Eats thread, but here it is again.

[hzrt8w]

Finally a weekend pictorial from Ah Leung Kuo....as always looks delicious and simple ....Gai Choy (or Kai Thoi in Toisan) is a green that grows on you....did not like it as much as a kid because of the bitter taste but now is one of my fave greens...In fact my mom used to make it in soup also adding dried shrimps and ginger.....

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Thank you warlockdilemma. I was afraid that I would disappoint my readers. I have been extremely busy lately. Just started a few projects, both in work and personal fronts.

Gai Choy (Chinese mustard green) is very "yin". Or Cantonese call it "hon" (cold). Especially for elderlies. You need to balance it with some "yang" (heat) from the ginger.

Edited February 12, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[warlockdilemma]

In fact my mom used to make it in soup also adding dried shrimps and ginger.....yummm....going back home next week for a 3 week break,cant wait to get my mom to make all my comfort food.......

←

The only stir-fried version I have had is just after CNY with tay doi - deep-fried sesame dumpling balls. These always collapse after the "offering time". This pastry is stir-fried with guy choi for a sweet/savory/bitter dish.

I have been eating this mustard greens soup for 2 weeks because my niece brought several plants home!

I had posted this in the Chinese Eats thread, but here it is again.

←

and yes....how could i forget the salted duck egg in the centre.......i know what to make for dinner tonight

[rumball]

i understand that in chinese cuisine mustard greens are always cooked, but i absolutely love them raw in salads. i find them much better tasting then french mustard greens and you can use them in any salad with watercress - instead of watercress. raw they have a very nice peppery taste and crunch and i never find them bitter. by the way, i dice stems too,except for the very tip.

but then i love bitter or peppery greens, in any case. so if you're not used to those - then perhaps it won't be to your liking.

anyway, i pair them raw with goat cheese and baked (carmelized) calabasa - mex. pumpkin - it's very sweet. chinese leeks(chives?) go great in this too. with balsamic/olive oil dressing and pine nuts. it's very addictive:-D.