Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Garlic Choy Sum
蒜蓉炒菜心
Recipe overview
Garlic Choy Sum is a simple and common vegetable dish in Hong Kong homes. It is quick to cook, light in taste and fragrant with garlic. The key points are washing and draining the vegetables well, using enough heat, and keeping the choy sum bright green without overcooking.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 500 g choy sum
- 3–4 cloves garlic
- 1–2 tablespoons cooking oil
Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce, optional
- 2–3 tablespoons water
02
Tools
- 1 colander
- 1 chopping board
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 black nonstick wok
- 1 metal spatula
- 2–3 white ceramic bowls
- 1 white serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare the Ingredients
Prepare the choy sum, garlic, seasoning and tools first. Stir-frying is quick, so everything should be ready.
Step 2
Remove Old Leaves
Check the choy sum and remove yellow leaves, damaged leaves and very hard stems.
Step 3
Wash the Choy Sum
Wash the choy sum in a large bowl with clean water. Check between the stems and leaves for dirt.
Step 4
Drain the Choy Sum
Put the washed choy sum in a colander and drain well. Too much water will make the dish watery.
Step 5
Cut the Choy Sum
Cut long choy sum into shorter sections. Split thicker stems slightly so they cook faster.
Step 6
Chop the Garlic
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Put it in a small bowl for later use.
Step 7
Heat the Wok
Heat the black nonstick wok over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil and spread it evenly.
Step 8
Fry the Garlic
Add the chopped garlic and stir-fry quickly until fragrant and pale golden. Do not burn it.
Step 9
Add Choy Sum
Add the choy sum to the wok and stir-fry quickly with the spatula.
Step 10
Add Seasoning and Water
Add salt, a little sugar and 2–3 tablespoons water. Add a little soy sauce only if needed.
Step 11
Stir-fry Until Green
Keep stir-frying over medium-high heat until the choy sum is bright green and just tender.
Step 12
Serve
Taste, then serve on a plate. Pour the garlic and a little sauce over the vegetables.
Common mistakes
- The choy sum is not drained well and releases too much water.
- The garlic is fried too long and becomes bitter.
- The heat is too low, making the vegetables yellow and watery.
- The choy sum is overcooked and loses its crisp texture.
- Too much salt or soy sauce makes the vegetables too salty.
Tips
When cooking this dish for your employer's family for the first time, make it lighter in taste. Keep the choy sum bright green and do not burn the garlic. If the family likes stronger garlic flavour, add a little more garlic next time. For elderly people, cut the vegetables shorter.
