Yu Choy

I know, I know. Yu Choy, I choy, Bok choy. Seriously though, yu choy. It’s new to me, and I love it.

A couple of weeks ago I rode my bike to the local farmer’s market here in town. It is something I love to do most every Saturday morning while the market is running. For one, it is early and everything is quiet around me, with the exception of the whirring sound from my mountain bike tires, that and it’s a farmer’s market!

So as I made my way through the small, rectangular shape of the market, I looked at what was available to me, as well as the cost from the various vendors and farmers. That day I decided upon some scallions, rhubarb, and something from one of the Asian vendors, something I never have seen before. What laid in front of me looked similar to bok choy, at least some of the leaves, but they had yellow bulbs or flowers.  I immediately asked the girls, ‘what is this?’. I must have stunned them as one looked at the other, and a few seconds later, one said ‘yu choy’. I asked how they would prepare it, and they came back with a sauté with soy sauce.

So as I rode home, I knew exactly how I was going to treat this yu choy. Something simple, yet flavorful.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch of yu choy
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 pinch of pepper
• 2 tbsp water

Begin by cleaning your yu choy by running it under water. Spin in a salad spinner to dry, or blot it with a towel.

Cut your bunch of yu choy into thirds.

Get a large nonstick skillet onto the stove on medium heat. Once it is hot, add in the oil. Toss in the garlic, and cook for about 20 seconds. Toss in the yu choy. Use your cooking skills and give the skillet a toss, or use some tongs and gently toss the yu choy.

Add in the oyster sauce, tossing to incorporate the thick sauce. Add in the water, and pepper, tossing along the way.

The yu choy will wilt down a bit. Cook the yu choy will only take about 5 minutes, if that. The goal is to have tender stalks and retain a nice, bright green color.

When you are ready to eat, simply plate on your serving dish, and dig in.

The flavor is everything you would expect from great Chinese greens. They are tender, fresh, and go perfect with pretty much anything.

So the next time you are at your local farmer’s market, talk to the vendors and figure out what things are and try something new. Hope you enjoy.