Cookbook:Yu Choy

| Brassicas

Yu choy (also edible rape) is a green leafy vegetable used in Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking. Younger and/or more tender varieties are often called choy sum.

Characteristics
Yu choy consists of branching stalks with a couple broad leaves at the end of each and, sometimes, yellow flower heads. The texture when raw is somewhat crunchy, though it gets tougher as it ages. Most varieties are green, though purple/red cultivars exist as well. The flavor is grassy with a slight bitterness that, again, increases with age.

The vegetable looks very similar to gai lan, but it is more tender and has a slightly different flavor.

Seasonality
Technically, yu choy is a cooler weather vegetable, but it does tend to be available year-round.

Selection and storage
Like other leafy greens, look for bright green yu choy that has no wilting, browning, blemishes, or sliminess. The younger and smaller, the more tender the stems. Additionally, those with more flowers may be more bitter. It can be stored, unwashed, for a few days in a container in the fridge. If you want to freeze yu choy, it's best to blanch it before doing so.

Use
Yu choy is popular in Cantonese cuisine, where is is often steamed or stir-fried with strong flavors. Tougher stalks can be separated from the leaves and braised for longer in order to tenderize them, but don't overcook them. To prepare yu choy, trim any tough parts off the stem. Particularly thick or fibrous stems can be peeled.

Substitution
If you can't get your hands on yu choy, gai lan or tender bok choy will make for reasonable approximations. Rapini is also an option, though it is more bitter.