YU CHOI (Yau choi, you cai, oil seed rape)

"Yu choi" means "oil vegetable" and its seeds produce an oil similar to rapeseed (canola) oil, which was used for lamps and sometimes for cooking in ancient China. Yu choi is related to bok choi, but can be easily recognized by its narrow stems, long oval leaves, and-the dead giveaway-small yellow flowers.

Yu choi is the most assertive of the chois, with a slightly bitter, mustard-like tang. As the weather gets cooler, the tang is balanced by a sweetness creating a perfect yin-yang taste experience. Simply stir fry with just a little garlic or oyster sauce or black vinegar.

For an East-meets-West dish, sauté the greens with garlic and olive oil and use as you would rapini (broccoli raab) in a pasta dish. A typical Chinese cooking method is to blanch the plants-greens, stems, leaves, flowers and all-and then cut them into 3-inch lengths. The greens are piled on the plate with the stems placed in a small, neat stack atop the greens. The whole thing is then drizzled with oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Recipe Suggestion:

Yu Choi with Soy Sauce and Oyster Sauce

2 heads yu choi (about 1 1/2 lbs total)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Cut choi crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a heavy skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and stir-fry yu choi with salt 2 minutes

2. In a bowl stir together water and soy and oyster sauces. Add soy mixture and butter to skillet and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Selection Tips

Choose yu choi with leaves that are not wilted and bottom stems that are not dried out. Be sure the stems are firm but not old and fibrous. The flowers should also look fresh and full, not wilted or dry. Choose bunches with many flowering stalks as these are particularly sweet and juicy.

Nutritional Highlights

Yu choi is high in cancer-preventing indoles as well as in vitamins A and C. It is also very low in calories.

Terra Brockman is a writer, editor, publisher, and nonprofit organizer who lives in central Illinois. She first encountered a genuine Asian cuisine when she lived in Japan from 1985-1990. She expanded her culinary horizons in New York City from 1990-1998. Since then she has been a freelance writer and editor, while working on her brother's organic farm where many Asian vegetables are grown.