Tender leafy greens stir fried in a garlicky soy sesame sauce. This quick and easy Chinese Garlic Yu Choy makes for a delicious vegetable side dish in 10 minutes with simple ingredients. Great for the family and for meal prep!
Chinese Garlic Yu Choy features leafy greens quickly stir fried with lots of garlic, soy sauce, Shoaxing wine and sesame oil. Many Chinese restaurants serve a variation of this delicious vegetable.
My recipe is super easy and comes together in little time with minimal ingredients! I love to cook this whenever I'm looking to add veggies to my meal because it's so simple.
What is Yu Choy?
Yu Choy is also known as 'Yu Choy Sum' or 'Choy Sum'. It's an Asian leafy green with a tender stalk and dark green leaves. The leaves taste sweeter than gai lan and bok choy and they're more tender.
Compared to bok choy and gai-lan, it's not as popular for American tastebuds but it's very popular in Asia. In fact, I probably eat this vegetable more than bok choy and gai-lan because it's easier to cook.
It's a fantastic green to enjoy if you want something that isn't overpowering in taste like gai-lan. This vegetable originates from China before the 15th century! You can find it at your local Asian grocer in the produce section.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
- Yu Choy aka Choy Sum or Yu Choy Sum. You can find this Asian green at the Asian market in the produce section near the Bok Choy or Gai-lan. If you can't find it, feel free to substitute with chopped bok choy or baby gai-lan.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
- Fresh Garlic: the key ingredient to this recipe for that garlicky taste!
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce.
- Shaoxing wine: this is a Chinese rice wine that is commonly used in Chinese cooking. Or substitute with Dry Sherry Wine. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute with any broth of your choice.
- Sesame Oil: or substitute with sesame seeds. If you're allergic, omit it.
Variations
- If you’re gluten-free, substitute the soy sauce with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
Expert Tips
- Wash the yu choy well ensuring there is no dirt or insects between the stalks or leaves.
- Cut into shorter segments so they're easier to enjoy.
- Prepare ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
- Infuse the garlic into the oil for best taste.
- Cook the yu choy until the stalks are softened but do not over cook it or you'll lose that crisp texture.
Instructions
- Throughly wash your greens in a colander until the water runs clear.
- Trim the ends and chop the yu choy into 2-inch long pieces.
- In a hot pan over medium heat, add vegetable oil and garlic. Fry until garlic is fragrant, about 10-15 seconds, to infuse the oil.
- Add yu choy and mix it with the garlic and oil.
- Then add regular soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and cover with a lid. Cook for 2 minutes until the stalks are tender.
- Remove the lid and season with sesame oil. Enjoy!
Can I steam this instead?
Yes, you can steam the yu choy in a wok or steamer pot until the stalks are tender, about 3-5 minutes covered. While the yu choy is steaming, in a separate pan on low-medium heat, sauté the garlic in the oil for 10-15 seconds. Then mix in soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Pour the garlic liquid over the steamed yu choy and season with sesame oil at the end.
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I would not recommend freezing vegetables as they can become mushy.
Pairing Suggestions
Garlic Yu Choy serves well with egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup, white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, soup noodles, plain noodles, Mongolian Chicken, Honey Sesame Chicken, Bang Bang Shrimp, Gochujang Chicken, Soy Garlic Tofu and more!
FAQ
Can I make this in advance?
This can be made in advance and you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge and it'll last up to 4 days. When ready to enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
Do I need a wok to cook this?
No, a large pan will work too! But if you want that smoky taste that you'll find in most Asian takeout, use a steel wok. When the oil hits the hot steel, it creates a smoke in the air that envelops the food making it taste smoky.
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📖 Recipe
10-min. Easy Chinese Garlic Yu Choy
Ingredients
- 4 cups Yu Choy
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine or Dry Sherry
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Throughly wash your greens until the water runs clear. Trim the ends and chop the yu choy into 2-inch long pieces.
- In a hot pan over medium heat, add vegetable oil and garlic. Fry until fragrant.
- Quickly add yu choy and mix it with the garlic and oil.
- Then add regular soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and cover with a lid. Cook for 2 minutes until the stalks are tender.
- Remove the lid and season with sesame oil. Enjoy!
MJ Strong
Perfect and quick!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe!
Ron
We love the Korean market we found years ago near us. Yu choy is one of our favorites and this recipe is a simple starting point. You can do so much with Asian vegetables.
christieathome
Yes absolutely! Yu choy is such a great and delicious way to get in our greens. Thanks for your review and so glad you enjoyed it!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is such a fabulous way to incorporate more veggies into weeknight dinners with just a few easy ingredients!
Nancy Stassinopoulos
I’ve never made yu choy before. It was in my CSA box, so I searched for recipes and found this one. Even my husband liked it, and he is picky about greens. I’ll look for yu choy and make it again. I served it over rice with air fryer tofu.
christieathome
Thank you so much for your kind review Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe of mine!
Kyla
This looks incredibly delicious! I've never tried Yu Choy, but now I definitely need to. Always looking for delicious ways to eat more green veggies. Thanks for sharing!
Rosemary
I love learning about different veggies! I have heard of bok choy and baby bok choy, but I have never heard of this one before!
Alex
I just love green veggie side dishes - especially those with garlic! How tasty!
Sherri
Love the flavors in this 10-minute side dish! I haven't had yu choy before so I better get to it! 🙂