Chung choy

Name variations

 * salted turnip

About chung choy
These preserved greens are not pickled, just dried with a whole lot of salt. They need to be rinsed well before use. Some of my older cookbooks mention them packaged in two forms, flat leaves or leaves rolled into a ball, both in plastic bags. I haven't seen the ball form around here, it may have gone out of style, a relic of the days before plastic bags. In any case, if the recipe calls for "a ball of chung choy", those balls weighed about 1½ ounces each.

Salted "Turnip" is popular in stir-fries, giving them a unique and almost smoky flavor. It is generally chopped fine and added near the end of cooking.

This form is extremely salty and needs to be rinsed well before use. Kept tightly sealed in a cool dry place this form will keep indefinitely at room temperature. Ingredients: "Turnip", salt, water. Actually the package the photo sample came in said "Mustard", but the main title says "Turnip" (mustard greens are generally pickled).