Blanched Shanghai Greens (Bai Zhuo You Cai)
白灼油菜—年夜饭最受欢迎的素菜 · cantonese cuisine · Canton
For Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, vegetables are chosen for their auspicious names: bok choy (youcai) sounds like 'having wealth,' and lettuce sounds like 'growing wealth.' Compared to lettuce, the author prefers Shanghai greens for their higher calcium content, dietary fiber, and sweet, clean flavor that balances rich dishes. Blanched greens are the simplest preparation and stay vividly green - on the table they get finished before the meat dishes.
Kwame 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:SoyWheat
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
10.0 whole
1.2 oz
0.74 oz
1.0 piece
3.0 piece
as needed
salt盐
to taste
Techniques you'll use
- Blanching (chao shui) ↗
Par-cook in boiling water to clean, tighten, or prep ingredients.
- Aromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
Bloom ginger, garlic, and chili in hot oil to build the aroma base.
- Stir-frying ↗
Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.
- Simmering (dun) ↗
Gentle low-heat cooking in liquid until flavors merge and meat softens.
- Cold dressing (liang ban) ↗
Toss cooked or raw ingredients with a bold chilled dressing.
Steps
- 1
Step 1
Pick through the Shanghai greens, removing the tough root ends and any yellowed leaves. The author's greens came from a local grower and had a few insect holes, said to be from being pesticide-free.
✅ Done when: The greens are trimmed, with only fresh, undamaged leaves remaining.
- 2
Step 25 min
Fill a basin with water and soak the greens for 5 minutes to wash off the dust.
✅ Done when: After 5 minutes of soaking, the visible dirt has rinsed away.
- 3
Step 35 min
Change the water in the basin, stir in salt until dissolved, cut the greens in half lengthwise, and soak them in the salted water for 5 minutes to draw out any insects that may remain inside.
✅ Done when: The halved greens have soaked in salted water for 5 minutes and the water stays clear.
- 4
Step 4
Peel the ginger and cut it into fine bits. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife, peel, and mince. Remove the seeds from the chiles and chop them small.
✅ Done when: The ginger, garlic, and chiles are all peeled and finely chopped and ready to cook.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a few drops of oil and a small pinch of salt. Blanch the greens for about 30 seconds - once they are just cooked through, lift them out. Adding oil and salt to the blanching water keeps vegetables vividly green.
✅ Done when: After about 30 seconds, the greens are just cooked through yet still bright green.
Transfer the blanched greens immediately into a basin of cold water and keep them submerged. This prevents the leaves from yellowing from residual heat after blanching.
✅ Done when: The greens are fully submerged in cold water and have cooled, keeping their green color.
Heat a pan with a small amount of oil, add the minced ginger, garlic, and chile, and stir-fry until fragrant.
✅ Done when: The aromatics smell fragrant and sizzle in the hot oil.
Add some water, the soy sauce, and the oyster sauce, and bring to a boil over high heat. Taste; if it is not salty enough, add a little salt, and if it is too salty, add more water and bring it back to a boil.
✅ Done when: The sauce is boiling and seasoned to taste.
Lift the greens out of the cold water, drain them well, arrange them on a plate, and pour the hot sauce over the top. The dish is ready to serve.
✅ Done when: The greens are drained, plated, and coated with the sauce.
- 10
Step 10
Serve: a nourishing, flavorful dish that cuts through grease - tasty, calcium-rich, and light enough to enjoy generously.
✅ Done when: The dish is served and ready to eat.