Syut-choi 雪菜 (snow – vegetable) and recipe

Preserved mustard cabbage or syut-choi in Cantonese (雪菜 – lit. means snow – vegetable) is a salted vegetable commonly found at wet markets in Hong Kong.
 

Syut choi

also called syut-lèih-hùhng/syut-léuih-hùhng 雪黎红，雪里红 

Syut-choi is is chopped thinly and added in some Cantonese stir-fries. It is also used as a topping for noodle soups. 

 

I usually used it myself in the following recipe that was given to me by a friend.

Bamboo shoots with preserved mustard cabbage

 

 

Ingredients:

• 100 g preserved mustard cabbage
• 2 cups salted water (to blanch carrots and bamboo shoots)
• 100 g carrot, shredded
• 2 large fresh bamboo shoots sliced
• 15g black fungus (once dehydrated they will expand to ~ 1 rice bowl)
• 3 Tbsps. vegetable oil
• 1 clove of garlic, sliced thinly
• 2 sprigs of spring onion
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Seasoning:

2 tsps. Sugar

1 Tbsps. rice wine
¼ cup water
2 Tbsps. light soy sauce

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Sauce:
½ tsp. corn-starch
½ Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil

Bamboo shoots - Jûk-séun

Black fungus –cloud ear - wàhn-yíh 雲耳

1. Soak the preserved vegetables in water for 2 hours. Rinse and drain. Cut into 5 cm pieces; parch in a hot frying pan over low heat until dried.
2. Blanch the carrots and bamboo shoots in salted boiling water.
3. Soak black fungus in water for ½ hour. Rinse and drain. Cut into small sections if too big.
4. In a frying pan add oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add the preserved vegetables, and stir well. Add the carrots, black fungus, and bamboo shoots.
5. Add seasoning ingredients; stir well. Cook for a few minutes or until carrots are tender, stirring continuously. 
6. Add the sauce and stir well.
7. Season to taste and transfer to a dish. Scatter the chopped spring onions, toss thors thoroughly and serve hot.

 

I cook at least twice a week a vegetarian dinner and this is one of the recipes I like to make. I like the various textures of the mixed ingredients and the range of colours. Hope you will try it once. Enjoy!