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Blanched Choy Sum — finished dish, ready to serve.

Blanched Choy Sum (Bai Zhuo Cai Xin)

白灼菜心 · cantonese cuisine · Canton

10 min total5 min cooking5 stepslightsavoryfresh

Blanched greens (baizhuo) are a classic Cantonese-style way to serve vegetables simply. A quick dip in salted, oiled boiling water keeps the choy sum vivid green and crisp, and a warm sauce poured over top adds savory flavor without masking the vegetable's natural sweetness. The source notes that the root ends of choy sum are tough and should be trimmed first, and warns against over-blanching, which makes the stems lose their pleasant bite.

Kwame Boateng's profile photoKwame BoatengGhanaian-American guy learning to recreate my mom's groundnut soup and jollof without calling her every time. Currently obsessed with getting smoky flavor on a stovetop.

Nutrition & allergens

Contains:SesameSoyWheat

Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.

Per serving (4 servings)

Energy (kcal)
81.3(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Protein (g)
Unknown
Fat (g)
Unknown
Carbs (g)
3.7(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Sodium (mg)
Unknown

Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.

  • bai cai tai ［ cai tai ， cai xin ］白菜苔［菜苔，菜心］

    3.53 oz — root ends trimmed, washed

  • Oyster sauce ingredient identification photo

    oyster sauce蚝油

    0.74 oz

  • Weidamei brand soy sauce ingredient

    soy sauce酱油

    1.2 oz

  • Granulated sugar ingredient identification photo

    sugar糖

    to taste

  • Sesame oil ingredient identification photo

    sesame oil香油

    0.46 oz

  • Fine salt ingredient identification photo

    salt盐

    0.07 oz

  • Neutral cooking oil ingredient identification photo

    Neutral oil油

    0.49 oz

Techniques you'll use

Steps

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Blanched Choy Sum — step 1 visual checkpoint.

    Trim off the tough root ends of the choy sum and wash it well. Mince the garlic.

    ✅ Done when: The choy sum is clean with no fibrous root ends remaining, and the garlic is evenly minced.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Blanched Choy Sum — step 2 visual checkpoint.

    Make the sauce: stir together 2 spoonfuls of soy sauce, 1 spoonful of oyster sauce, a pinch of sugar, and 1 spoonful of sesame oil until well combined. Set aside.

    ✅ Done when: The sauce is uniform in color with the sugar fully dissolved.

  3. 3

    Step 32 min

    High heatBlanching (chao shui) ↗
    Blanched Choy Sum — step 3 visual checkpoint.

    Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a little salt and 1 spoonful of cooking oil. Blanch the choy sum in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then remove and drain well.

    ✅ Done when: After 2 minutes, the choy sum is vivid green and just tender, and has been drained of excess water.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    High heatAromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
    Blanched Choy Sum — step 4 visual checkpoint.

    Heat oil in a pan and saute the minced garlic until fragrant. Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn off the heat and pour the sauce over the choy sum.

    ✅ Done when: The garlic smells fragrant and the sauce has just come to a boil before being poured over the greens.

  5. 5

    Step 5

    Blanched Choy Sum — step 5 visual checkpoint.

    Serve the blanched choy sum, light, nutritious, and attractive on the plate.

    ✅ Done when: The greens are glossy with sauce, bright green, and ready to serve.