Choi Sum with Garlic Oyster Sauce Recipe
Since moving to Hong Kong, our food shopping habits have definitely changed. Back in the UK, I used to shop online at least once or twice a month, then top up fresh ingredients weekly at the local supermarket. While supermarkets in Hong Kong do offer online shopping, I haven’t quite warmed up to the experience (despite giving it a few tries). These days, I stick to buying non-perishables online and leave the rest for in-person shopping. I won’t go into too much detail here, as I’m planning a separate post about my food shopping adventures in Hong Kong.
One of the biggest differences has been the availability—and price—of certain ingredients. Anything that isn’t a daily staple or produced in large quantities here often comes with a hefty price tag. It’s mind-boggling at times, especially when I spot the same ingredients I used to buy regularly in London now costing significantly more.
That said, my diet hasn’t changed all that much. I still treat myself to those pricier ingredients occasionally, and I visit the wet markets now and then, though I don’t rely solely on them for my shopping.
As for vegetables, my routine has shifted a bit. In the UK, I used to eat a lot of tenderstem broccoli, kale, spinach, courgettes, asparagus, and green beans. Now, I’ve swapped them out for choi sum, Chinese kale, bok choy, and other leafy greens that are abundant here. The most common way to prepare Chinese vegetables is by stir-frying, boiling, or steaming—quick, easy, and delicious! But I do miss those Western vegetables, which come with some pretty eye-watering price tags over here. Grass is always greener, right? At the moment, I wish I could access those familiar ingredients more easily (without having to pay double or triple the price)!
But enough of my rambling—let’s get to the food! Today, I’m sharing a simple Chinese recipe: Choi Sum with Garlic Oyster Sauce. Choi Sum, also known as Chinese Flowering Cabbage (菜心), has medium-wide green leaves and slightly tougher stems, sometimes adorned with tiny yellow flowers, which I think are quite pretty! And the best part? It’s incredibly affordable—450g sells for around HK$10-12, or even less! (I checked Tesco UK, and it goes for £1.60 per 200g there—makes me feel a bit better now!) It’s all part of the globalisation of food—importing and exporting ingredients is just part of the world we live in now, right?
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 3-4 persons
Ingredients:
450g choi sum, ends trimmed
1 tbsp corn oil
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1-2 tbsp water
Method:
1. Bring a big saucepan of salted water to a boil. Blanch the choi sum for about 1 minute or until tender. Drain and set aside on a serving plate.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until slightly brown. Add the oyster sauce, stir then add the water and cook for 30 seconds. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and serve.
