Common Chinese Vegetables Beyond Basics | Generated by AI
Question: Give more common vegetables in China
Answer:
Here are additional common vegetables widely used in Chinese cuisine, building on the previous list. These are popular across regions, often featured in stir-fries, soups, hotpots, and pickles.
- Daikon radish (white radish or luóbo): Large white root vegetable; used in soups, stir-fries, pickled, or shredded in salads. China is a major producer.
- Carrots (húluóbo): Commonly stir-fried, added to soups, or used in fillings; sweet and crunchy.
- Cauliflower (càihuā): Popular in stir-fries; China is one of the top producers and consumers.
- Choy sum (cài xīn or flowering cabbage): Tender leafy green with yellow flowers; mild and sweet, often stir-fried with garlic.
- Winter melon (dōngguā): Mild-flavored gourd; used in cooling soups or braised dishes.
- Bamboo shoots (sǔn): Crunchy shoots; added to stir-fries, soups, or braised with meat.
- Snow peas (hélán dòu or pea pods): Flat pods; quick stir-fried for crisp texture.
- Garlic chives (jiǔcài): Flat, garlicky leaves; used in stir-fries, dumplings, or with eggs.
- Celery (Chinese celery or qíncài): Thinner and more aromatic than Western celery; stir-fried or in soups.
- Spinach (bōcài): Tender leaves; blanched, stir-fried, or in soups.
- Onions (yángcōng) and green onions (cōng)**: Essential aromatics; green onions used as garnish or in stir-fries.
- Peanuts (huāshēng): Often treated as a vegetable in dishes; boiled, fried, or in kung pao.
Regional favorites include mustard greens (jiècài) for pickling in Sichuan, and amaranth (xiàncài) in southern dishes. Mushrooms like shiitake and wood ear are also staples but technically fungi.
References:
- https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/top-10-vegetables.htm
- https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-ingredients-glossary/chinese-vegetables-asian-leafy-greens/
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/chinese-vegetables-pictures-4121784
- https://omnivorescookbook.com/chinese-greens/
- https://www.chinaeducationaltours.com/guide/culture-chinese-food-top-vegetables.htm