Restaurant Style Chinese Greens

Published Apr 05, 2019 Updated Sep 03, 2024

Restaurant Style Chinese Greens

I’ve been asked many times how to make simple restaurant-style vegetables, so here it is: the secrets, tips, and recipe to make all your veggies taste and look picture-perfect, just like top Chinese-Cantonese chefs. Chinese greens with oyster sauce is an easy dish to prepare at home, but not everyone gets it right. I’ve seen many overcooked vegetable dishes served at homes and restaurants alike. In this easy recipe, I’ll show you how to make Chinese greens at home that rival the best Chinese restaurants. Once you master the basic techniques and skills of making this dish, you can confidently cook any vegetable you desire — whether it’s Choy Sum, Gailan (Chinese kale), Bok Choy, or any leafy green vegetables with stems.

Chinese Greens Vegetables

Chinese greens vegetables are a diverse group of leafy greens commonly used in Chinese cuisine. These vegetables are versatile, used in stir-fries, soups, and other dishes, offering a range of flavors and textures from crisp stalks to tender leaves. They are prized for their nutritional value and play a significant role in balancing flavors and enhancing dishes in Chinese cooking. They include popular varieties below:

bok choy or baby bok choy choy sum or yu choy water spinach or morning glory Chinese mustard greens, Chinese kale or gailan

Shopping Guide: Where to buy Chinese greens vegetables? They are available in Asian grocery stores (in the west coast of the United States, go to 99 Ranch Market or H Mart). You can also find them at farmers’ markets, and some well-stocked supermarkets like Whole Foods Market. Look for fresh, vibrant greens with crisp stems and leaves.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients for this recipe:

Baby bok choy – just cut off the stem end before cooking. Cooking oil Garlic – minced garlic is used to make garlic oil, which infuses the vegetables with garlicky aromas. Oyster sauce – this recipe is cooked Cantonese-style and oyster sauce is the main flavoring sauce for stir-fry. Sugar – sugar balances the salty taste of oyster sauce. White pepper Water

Please refer to the recipe card below for further details on each ingredient.

Garlic Oil

Pro Tip: Garlic oil is the secret ingredient in various Chinese veggie recipes, adding rich flavors, aromas, and depth to stir-fried dishes. It provides a convenient way to infuse garlic essence into the greens. Together with oyster sauce, this duo makes plain vegetables absolutely delicious!

How To Make Cantonese Chinese Greens

This recipe is straightforward with just a few simple steps. However, its flavor and presentation rival that of your favorite Chinese or Cantonese restaurants.

Secret Techniques And Helpful Tips

Without further ado, I unveil the following secrets, tips and tricks.

Buy fresh vegetables – choose the freshest greens available in your market, such as the baby bok choy shown in my pictures. Use garlic oil – garlic oil is a key ingredient in many of my Chinese recipes. It adds depth to simple dishes and infuses the veggies with a delicious garlicky flavor and aroma. Use cooking oil wisely – add a few drops of cooking oil (about 1/4 teaspoon) into the water before blanching the vegetables. This coats the vegetables, keeping them fresh and green, and prevents them from turning purple. Don’t overcook your vegetables – perfectly blanched and cooked veggies should be somewhat crunchy, not limp and wilted. Avoid leaving them too long in the boiling water. Drain excess water from the vegetables before serving – discard the water from the veggies to prevent it from diluting the sauce. Excess water can make your dish watery.

Sidenote: Now that you have the techniques down, complete your Chinese meals with a plate of fresh, green, and delightful leafy greens. Trust me, your vegetables will never look or taste better than they do now.

What To Serve With Chinese Greens

Serve this delicious veggie dish with classic main dishes such as Chinese roast pork, steamed fish, black bean sauce chicken, white boiled shrimp, or ginger scallion fish. For a wholesome meal and dinner at home, I recommend serving this dish alongside the following recipes: II hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.