Yu choy is probably my least favorite Chinese vegetable, but it's also my most-eaten Chinese vegetable because it's always on sale and it's easy to prepare. The method I'm showing today involves boiling the yu choy in a pot of water with some salt and oil. It's based on the same method that my mother-in-law taught me for boiled bok choy.
Yeah, if I'm being completely honest, yu choy is not my favorite Chinese veggie. I find that the stems have a more "watery" or "splashy" texture compared to other Chinese veggies, like gai lan. Gai Lan is way better in my opinion because the stems are drier and have a crunchier texture. That's why you sometimes see it as a crunchy component in fried rice.
That said, yu choy is still probably my most cooked Chinese veggie because it's always on sale at T&T supermarket. My wife always needs at least one vegetable dish for every meal otherwise she can't poop 💩, so I always end up making yu choy because it's quick, easy, and cheap.
Pro tip: cook the stems first
I always add the stems to the boiling water first since they take longer to cook than the leaves. Just add the stems upright in the water and kind of balance them on the walls of the pot. After 30 seconds, you can push the leaves into the water and cook them for another 15 seconds.
Personally, I like yu choy with a little bit of a crunch so I only cook them for 45 seconds total. Some people might find it slightly undercooked, but I would rather have my veggies slightly under than over. However, when my wife's grandma comes over for dinner, I will purposely overcook them because she has bad teeth and needs the veggies to be softer.
Easy Boiled Yu Choy
Instructions
- Bring about 4 inches of water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Add the salt and oil.
- Add the yu choy upright into the pot so the stems are submerged and the leaves are above the water. Cook for 30 seconds then push the leaves into the water. Cook for another 15 seconds then drain the water thoroughly.
- Serve immediately.
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