The Chinese Dietary Guidelines for Residents recommend that adults consume 300-500 grams of vegetables daily, with leafy greens accounting for more than half. Leafy greens, also known as "qingcai" in daily life, appear on the dining table almost every day and with every meal. However, many people's stir-fried greens are not tasty, and their appearance is poor, often appearing yellowish-green. So, how can one make a plate of greens that is visually appealing, aromatic, and delicious? What are the techniques for stir-frying greens? The following will answer these questions.
Stir-fried Greens with Mushrooms
The key to stir-frying greens is the heat control
Stir-frying greens is a true art, and the key lies in getting the "stir-frying" just right—not overcooked, of course, but also not raw. The secret is to master the heat control: high heat and quick stir-frying, cooking until just done.
As long as you master the following six techniques, you can also stir-fry a plate of beautifully green and crispy greens at home.
Five Techniques for Stir-frying Greens
1. Use more oil
The amount of oil for stir-frying greens should be slightly more than for other dishes. This is to achieve a higher temperature. In reality, not all the oil sticks to the vegetables, so most people don't need to worry too much about it. Of course, those on a diet might want to skip this tip.
2. High heat
The heat for stir-frying greens should generally be high and quick. Never use low to medium heat to simmer them slowly. Otherwise, it will be difficult to cook the greens deliciously.
3. Quick stir-frying
Once the greens are in the wok, stir-fry them continuously and quickly. For example, stir-frying water spinach (about 500g) should not take more than a minute. Stir-frying cabbage takes just over 2 minutes but less than 3. For harder vegetables (like mustard greens), you can sprinkle in a little boiling water.
4. The timing of adding salt is crucial
When cooking, adding salt is the most critical step! For some greens, such as lettuce and napa cabbage, which are already very watery, salt must be added when they are about 80% cooked. If you add salt too early, they will release a lot of water and their color can also be affected. For other greens with less water, like water spinach, sweet potato leaves, or pumpkin shoots, it's best to add the required salt to the hot oil to dissolve it before adding the greens and stir-frying over high heat. This way, a small amount of moisture will be seared out during the cooking process, better preserving the vibrant green color of these vegetables.
5. Add boiling water
Cold water should not be added when stir-frying, as it will make the greens tough and unpleasant to eat. Stir-frying with boiling water results in fresh and tender greens, and the cooking time should not be too long.
After learning the techniques for stir-frying greens, let's learn a few green vegetable recipes!
Simple and Easy-to-Learn Green Vegetable Recipes
Garlic-flavored Small Rapeseed
Plain Stir-fried Rapeseed
Ingredients: 300g rapeseed, 2 tablespoons of hemp seed oil, half a head of garlic, 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt.
Instructions:
1. Prepare the ingredients: Wash and mince the garlic; wash the rapeseed and set aside.
2. Heat the wok, add 2 tablespoons of hemp seed oil.
3. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the rapeseed and stir-fry.
4. Stir-fry until the rapeseed wilts, then add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and salt to season.
5. Stir everything evenly, then plate and serve.
Garlic Stir-fried Cai Xin
Blanched Cai Xin
Ingredients: 1 bunch of rapeseed stalks, appropriate amount of salad oil, salt, chicken powder, 3 cloves of garlic, a little sugar.
Instructions:
1. After washing the cai xin, soak it in water for 15 minutes.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add oil, salt, and sugar. Put in the cai xin, do not cover the lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove and place in cold water to cool for a moment, then drain.
3. Heat a wok with oil, add minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the drained cai xin and stir-fry over high heat for a few seconds.
4. Add a little chicken powder and stir-fry evenly. (Chicken powder contains salt, so since salt was already added during the blanching, no other seasonings are needed at the end).
Sautéed Rapeseed
Ingredients: Fresh rapeseed, salt, pepper oil, ginger, scallion.
Instructions:
1. Remove the leaves and roots from the rapeseed, wash, and cut into diagonal pieces about 2.5 cm long.
2. Blanch the rapeseed in boiling water until cooked, remove and drain. Toss with salt, place on a plate, and sprinkle with chopped scallions and minced ginger.
3. Heat the pepper oil and pour it over the scallions and ginger to sizzle.
Having read this, are you all eager to roll up your sleeves, grab a wok, and start stir-frying some greens? Then get to it and stir-fry a plate of greens that is visually appealing, aromatic, and delicious!
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