Chinese Vegetables

Home , Allium tuberosum, Arctium, Chinese cuisine, Eleocharis dulcis

Department of Horticulture

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service • West Lafayette, IN

Chinese Vegetables

Michael N. Dana*

Foreign cuisines are of great interest to the Ameri- stemmed taro, and arrowhead require a wet growing can cook, but high quality, authentic fresh ingredi- environment, contrary to the conditions common- ents are sometimes difficult to find. Authentic place in American vegetable gardens. In the Orient, Chinese cooking demands fresh vegetables which these aquatic plants are grown in flooded rice may only be available to you if you grow them paddies. yourself. Yet their use is not limited to Chinese You can simulate the conditions that these plants cuisine. Many can be used as substitutes in or tasty require with a little innovation. A typical, approach is additions to traditional American dishes. to use a 25-gallon minimum capacity container for water in which smaller plant containers are sub- The culture of most Chinese vegetables is not merged (except for lotus). The soil should be typical complicated. Chinese types of beans, squash, garden soil, not a peat-containing potting mix. You cucurbits (cucumber), and cole crops (broccoli, will also need to include some submerged oxygen- cabbage) are closely related to their “Western” ating plants (SOP) and goldfish. The latter will help counterparts and have similar cultural requirements keep the water clear and insect free, and will be (Table 1). attractive in the water garden. SOP provide extra oxygen, which otherwise might be a limiting factor in Chinese Water Garden a water environment. Prop the smaller plant containers up on bricks or rocks so the soil line is the The Chinese water garden is an exception to the proper depth below the water surface. Table 2 foregoing rule. Chinese lotus, water chestnuts, violet gives detailed cultural information on each crop.

* This publication was originally co-authored by James Simon.

Reviewed 11/01 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Page 1 of 5

Vegetables • HO-187-W

Chives, Chinese, Garlic 1/2 1/2 Garlic Chinese, Chives, Garden. Vegetable American Conventional the for Suitable Vegetables Chinese 1. Table

Celery Cabbage, Chinese 1/2-1 1/2-1 Chinese Cabbage, Celery

Azuki Bean Bean Azuki

Burdock Burdock

Broccoli, Chinese 1/2 1/2 Chinese Broccoli,

Bitter Melon Melon Bitter

Asparagus Pea 1/2 1/2 Pea Asparagus

Amaranth Amaranth

English Name/ Name/ English

Gai lan lan Gai

Gow choy Gow

Pai tsai tsai Pai

Bin dow Bin

Cien choy choy Cien

Koo gwa gwa Koo

Chinese Name/ Seed Seed Name/ Chinese

Ngan pong pong Ngan Hong dow dow Hong

Allium tuberosum tuberosum Allium Brassica rapa Brassica Arctium lappa lappa Arctium Brassica oleracea oleracea Brassica Momordica charantia charantia Momordica Psophocarpus tetragonolobus tetragonolobus Psophocarpus Amaranthus tricolor tricolor Amaranthus

Pekinensis Group Pekinensis angulans Vigna

Alboglabra Group Group Alboglabra

Latin Name Depth Depth Name Latin

1/2-1 1/2-1

(inches) (inches) (inches) (inches)

1/2-1 1/2-1

1 1

1/4 1/4

6/12 6/12

8/12-14 8/12-14

Distance Distance

2-3/18-30 2-3/18-30

6/18 6/18

14-30/30-36 14-30/30-36

Between Plants/ South South Plants/ Between

36-48/48-60 36-48/48-60

6/20 6/20

10-18/18 10-18/18

Between Rows Rows Between

4-1/6-30 5-15/6-15 120 May be eaten as sprouts, fresh picked or dried. or picked fresh sprouts, as eaten be May 120 5-15/6-15 4-1/6-30

3-15/4-5 4-1/5-1 60-80 Stalks split and prepared as common broccoli. If broccoli. common as prepared and split Stalks 60-80 4-1/5-1 3-15/4-5

lnigDts lnigDts ast Comments/Use to Days Dates Planting Dates Planting

3-15/4-5 4-1/5-1 24-90 Stronger flavor than ordinary chives. Decorative chives. ordinary than flavor Stronger 24-90 4-1/5-1 3-15/4-5

3-1/4-1 3-15/4-10 70-80 Use as regular heading cabbage stir fried or pickled. or fried stir cabbage heading regular as Use 70-80 3-15/4-10 3-1/4-1

8-1/9-1 7-1/7-20 7-1/7-20 8-1/9-1

8-15/10-1 7-15/9-1 7-15/9-1 8-15/10-1

7-l/8-1 6-15/6-30 6-15/6-30 7-l/8-1

Fall range) Fall range) range) Fall range) Fall

4-20/6-1 5-15/6-15 60-75 Ornamental vine that produces bitter quinine bitter produces that vine Ornamental 60-75 5-15/6-15 4-20/6-1

2-20/3-20 3-20/5-1 50 Tastes like asparagus. Harvest pods when 1 in. 1 when pods Harvest asparagus. like Tastes 50 3-20/5-1 2-20/3-20

7-1/8-15 7-1/8-1 7-1/8-1 7-1/8-15

2-15/4-1 3-20/4-20 30-90 Brilliantly colored leaves usually grown as an as grown usually leaves colored Brilliantly 30-90 3-20/4-20 2-15/4-1

8-1/9-1 7-1/7-20 7-1/7-20 8-1/9-1

(Spring range/ (Spring range/ (Spring range/ (Spring

8-20/10-10 9-1/10-1 9-1/10-1 8-20/10-10

3-1/4-1 3-15/4-10 45 Although roots generally eaten, the young leaves young the eaten, generally roots Although 45 3-15/4-10 3-1/4-1

North North

8-1/9-15 8-1/9-15

Maturity Maturity

Edible pods. Beans have slightly sweet flavor. sweet slightly have Beans pods. Edible

containing fruit that must be parboiled to eat. to parboiled be must that fruit containing

remains even in cooked dishes. cooked in even remains

darkening and remove bitterness. Crisp texture Crisp bitterness. remove and darkening

Chinese kale. Chinese

have been used for medicinal purposes. medicinal for used been have

pear, la-kwa, and bitter gourd. Extracts of plant of Extracts gourd. bitter and la-kwa, pear,

Use in stir fry and soups. Also called balsam called Also soups. and fry stir in Use

princess pea, winged bean. winged pea, princess

including flowers, edible. Also called goa bean, goa called Also edible. flowers, including

Also called tampala. tampala. called Also

nutritious (25% protein). (25% nutritious

Usually prepared as paste for baking. Highly baking. for paste as prepared Usually

and stems are edible. Scrub or scrape to prevent to scrape or Scrub edible. are stems and

ornamental. Use as spinach, raw or cooked. or raw spinach, as Use ornamental.

peeled and split, stems cook faster. Also called Also faster. cook stems split, and peeled

plant and flowers. Also called oriental garlic. oriental called Also flowers. and plant

Forms tight upright head. upright tight Forms long. Use in stir fry and soups. Whole plant, Whole soups. and fry stir in Use long.

Page 2 of 5 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Reviewed 11/01

Vegetables • HO-187-W

Mung Beans Beans Mung

Multiplier Onions 1/2 1/2 Onions Multiplier

Hot Peppers Peppers Hot

Ginger Ginger

Giant Garlic Garlic Giant

Garland Chrysanthemum 1/4-1/2 6-12/18 6-12/18 1/4-1/2 Chrysanthemum Garland

Fuzzy Gourd Gourd Fuzzy

Flowering Cabbage 1/2 1/2 Cabbage Flowering

Fava Beans Beans Fava

Eggplant, Chinese 1/2 1/2 Chinese Eggplant,

Cucumbers, Chinese 1/2-3/4 36/48 36/48 1/2-3/4 Chinese Cucumbers,

Ai gwa gwa Ai

Nga choy choy Nga

Hwa choy choy Hwa

Giang

Suan

Tong how tsai tsai how Tong

Jiet gwa gwa Jiet

Chang fa Chang

Fu dow dow Fu

La chiao chiao La Tseng gwa gwa Tseng

Vigna radiata radiata Vigna Allium fistulosum Allium Capsicum frutescens Capsicum Zingiber officinale officinale Zingiber Allium sativum sativum Allium Chrysanthemum coronarium coronarium Chrysanthemum Benincasa hispida hispida Benincasa Brassica oleracea oleracea Brassica Vicia faba Vicia Solanum melongena Solanum

Acephela Group Acephela sativus Cucumis

1/2 1/2

1/4 1/4

2 1/2 1/2 2

3 3

2 2

1 1

var. var.

esculentum esculentum

10/18 10/18

6-8/24 6-8/24

8-10/t6 8-10/t6

18-24/24-36 18-24/24-36

4-6/18-24 4-6/18-24

16/24 16/24

18-24/30-36 18-24/30-36

12/12 12/12

36/48 36/48

5-1/6-1 5-15/6-10 65-85 Use with discretion as a seasoning. Very hot fruit hot Very seasoning. a as discretion with Use 65-85 5-15/6-10 5-1/6-1

3-1/4-1 3-10/4-10 55-120 Use as scallions in stir fry or raw on relish tray. relish on raw or fry stir in scallions as Use 55-120 3-10/4-10 3-1/4-1

4-1/6-30 5-15/6-15 65-90 Young pods edible, may be shelled like peas or peas like shelled be may edible, pods Young 65-90 5-15/6-15 4-1/6-30

8-15/10-1 7-15/9-1 7-15/9-1 8-15/10-1

2-20/3-20 3-20/5-1 25-60 Leaves and stems are used as greens for a for greens as used are stems and Leaves 25-60 3-20/5-1 2-20/3-20

4-1/6-30 5-15/6-15 90-120 May be eaten as sprouts (Yah tsai) or in a later a in or tsai) (Yah sprouts as eaten be May 90-120 5-15/6-15 4-1/6-30

3-1/4-1 3-15/4-10 55-75 Shred, boil, bake, stuff as regular cabbage. regular as stuff bake, boil, Shred, 55-75 3-15/4-10 3-1/4-1

6-1/7-20 6-1/7-10 6-1/7-10 6-1/7-20

5-1/6-1 5-15/6-10 60-75 Small white fruit on some varieties. Good for Good varieties. some on fruit white Small 60-75 5-15/6-10 5-1/6-1

4-20/6-1 5-15/6-15 60 Small seeded fruit is original "burpless'' type. Eat type. "burpless'' original is fruit seeded Small 60 5-15/6-15 4-20/6-1

7-1/8-1 6-15/6-30 6-15/6-30 7-1/8-1

6-1/8-1 6-1/7-15 6-1/7-15 6-1/8-1

8-1/9-1 7-1/7-20 7-1/7-20 8-1/9-1

6-1/7-1 6-1/7-1 6-1/7-1 6-1/7-1

6-1/8-1 6-1/7-15 6-1/7-15 6-1/8-1

5-1/6-1 5-15/6-10 90-130 Rhizome used in all types of dishes from meats from dishes of types all in used Rhizome 90-130 5-15/6-10 5-1/6-1

7-1/8-1 6-16/6-30 6-16/6-30 7-1/8-1

2-20/3-20 3-15/4-15 180 Milder flavor than common garlic. May be eaten be May garlic. common than flavor Milder 180 3-15/4-15 2-20/3-20

4-20/6-1 5-16/6-15 75-85 Used in ways similar to zucchini or squash. Fruit squash. or zucchini to similar ways in Used 75-85 5-16/6-15 4-20/6-1

distinctive flavor, Dried flower petals are used in used are petals flower Dried flavor, distinctive

sticky if boiled. boiled. if sticky

vegetables, it imparts a "warm" flavor. "warm" a imparts it vegetables,

like chives. chives. like

soups and stir fried dishes. dishes. fried stir and soups

preserving melon. melon. preserving

eaten. Also called Chinese watermelon, Chinese watermelon, Chinese called Also eaten.

leaves often grown as ornamentals. as grown often leaves

is used raw or dried. or raw used is left to produce dry beans. dry produce to left

appetizers. appetizers.

Young fruits with flowers attached are eaten as eaten are attached flowers with fruits Young

stage such as edible green pods. Beans will be will Beans pods. green edible as such stage

Mild onion flavor. Hollow leaves may reach 3 ft. 3 reach may leaves Hollow flavor. onion Mild

pickling, sauteeing, or frying. or sauteeing, pickling,

Beautiful red, pink, and green combinations of combinations green and pink, red, Beautiful

to confections. Added to stir-fry oil before oil stir-fry to Added confections. to

raw or blended into butter. Shoots may be used be may Shoots butter. into blended or raw

raw, pickled or cooked. Mature fruits are stuffed. are fruits Mature cooked. or pickled raw, must have fuzz and skin removed before being before removed skin and fuzz have must

Reviewed 11/01 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Page 3 of 5

Vegetables • HO-187-W

Soybeans Soybeans

Snow Peas Peas Snow

Sesame Sesame

Radish, Chinese 1 1 Chinese Radish,

Pumpkins, Chinese 1 1 Chinese Pumpkins,

Polherb Muslard, Chinese 1/4 1/4 Chinese Muslard, Polherb

Pickling Melon Melon Pickling

Parsley, Chinese 1/4 1/4 Chinese Parsley,

Okra, Chinese (Luffa) 1 1 (Luffa) Chinese Okra,

Muslard Cabbage, 1/4 1/4 Cabbage, Muslard

Mustard, Chinese 1/4 1/4 Chinese Mustard,

Gai choy choy Gai

Huang dow dow Huang

Ho lan dow lan Ho

Chih ma ma Chih

Luo buo buo Luo choy Bok Chinese

Mizuna (Japanese name) name) (Japanese Mizuna

Chung choy choy Chung

Yjen tsai tsai Yjen

Nang gwa gwa Nang Shuh gwa gwa Shuh

Glycine max max Glycine Pisum sativum Pisum Sesamum indicum Sesamum Raphanus sativus Raphanus Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita Brassica juncea juncea Brassica Cucumis melo Cucumis Coriandrum sativum sativum Coriandrum Luffa acutangula acutangula Luffa Brassica rapa rapa Brassica

Conomon Group Conomon juncea Brasslca

Chinensis Group Chinensis

var. var.

1/2 1/2

2 2

'Longipinnatus' 'Longipinnatus' 1/2 1/2

macrocarpon macrocarpon

crispifolia crispifolia

18-36/60-90 18-36/60-90

2-3/18-30 2-3/18-30

2-10/12-30 2-10/12-30

12/18 12/18

36-48/60-120 36-48/60-120

2-3/24-30 2-3/24-30

4-6/18 4-6/18

6/18 6/18

4-10/12 4-10/12

36-48/48-60 36-48/48-60

9/36 9/36

4-20/6-1 5-1/5-30 130 Used in some ways as squash and pumpkins in pumpkins and squash as ways some in Used 130 5-1/5-30 4-20/6-1

2-20/3-20 3-20/5-1 50-85 Use as soon as picked. Combines well with fish with well Combines picked. as soon as Use 50-85 3-20/5-1 2-20/3-20

3-1/5-1 3-20/5-10 60-80 Grate, steam, stir fry, pickle, boil or sculpture or boil pickle, fry, stir steam, Grate, 60-80 3-20/5-10 3-1/5-1

5-1/6-30 5-15/6-15 75-115 Mildly nutty flavor. May be served as sprouts, as served be May flavor. nutty Mildly 75-115 5-15/6-15 5-1/6-30

4-20/6-1 5-15/6-15 65 Use in any standard pickling recipe. Can also be also Can recipe. pickling standard any in Use 65 5-15/6-15 4-20/6-1

6-1/7-15 6-1/7-5 6-1/7-5 6-1/7-15

4-20/6-1 5-15/6-15 115 Prepare immature fruit as squash or cucumber. or squash as fruit immature Prepare 115 5-15/6-15 4-20/6-1

3-15/10-15 8-1/10-1 8-1/10-1 3-15/10-15 7-15/8-15 8-1/9-15

6-1/8-1 6-1/7-15 6-1/7-15 6-1/8-1

3-10/4-10 4-1/5-1 60 Seeds have citrus-spice flavor, Add leaves as a as leaves Add flavor, citrus-spice have Seeds 60 4-1/5-1 3-10/4-10

3-1/4-1 3-15/4-10 35-50 Leaves cooked as spinach, stalks used like used stalks spinach, as cooked Leaves 35-50 3-15/4-10 3-1/4-1

3-15/5-15 4-1/6-1 35-50 Use as salad green. Commonly pickled, but may but pickled, Commonly green. salad as Use 35-50 4-1/6-1 3-15/5-15

8-15/10-1 7-15/9-1 7-15/9-1 8-15/10-1

3-15/5-15 4-1/6-1 30-60 Leafy foliage attractive in salads. Rich in vitamins. in Rich salads. in attractive foliage Leafy 30-60 4-1/6-1 3-15/5-15

6-1/8-1 6-1/7-15 6-1/7-15 6-1/8-1

7-1/7-15 6-15/7-20 6-15/7-20 7-1/7-15

8-15/10-1 7-15/9-1 7-15/9-1 8-15/10-1

8-1 /9-15 7-15/8-15 7-15/8-15 /9-15 8-1

4-20/6-1 5-15/6-15 30-45 Seeds eaten raw or roasted. Oil from seed has seed from Oil roasted. or raw eaten Seeds 30-45 5-15/6-15 4-20/6-1

asparagus. Growth habit similar to celery or celery to similar habit Growth asparagus.

fleshy root. Leafy tops edible also. Large and Large also. edible tops Leafy root. fleshy

dishes. Add to stir-fry only in last few seconds of cooking. of seconds few last in only stir-fry to Add dishes.

nutty flavor and is the oil of stir-frying or deep frying. deep or stir-frying of oil the is and flavor nutty

be stir-fried. be

Many cultivars are available. are cultivars Many

very long root. Also called Japanese daikon. Japanese called Also root. long very

roasted or dried. Harvest green or dry. or green Harvest dried. or roasted

leaves especially fine with poached fish. poached with fine especially leaves

Highly prolific, vigorous vine. vigorous prolific, Highly

Mature fruit can be dried and used as sponges. as used and dried be can fruit Mature

chard.

soups, pies, baked or fried. Can be stored all winter. all stored be Can fried. or baked pies, soups,

cooked or eaten raw as a vegetable. a as raw eaten or cooked

seasoning . Plant is also called coriander. Chopped coriander. called also is Plant . seasoning Pare off ridges, but leave other skin intact. skin other leave but ridges, off Pare

Page 4 of 5 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Reviewed 11/01 For more information on the subject discussed in this publication, consult your local office of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension

Service. Vegetables • HO-187-W

Arrowhead Arrowhead Vegetables. Garden Water Chinese 2. Table

Violet Stemmed Taro Taro Stemmed Violet

Water Chestnuts Chestnuts Water

Chinese Lotus Lotus Chinese

English Name/ Name/ English

Yard-Long Beans Beans Yard-Long

Winter Melon Melon Winter

Sweet Melons Melons Sweet

Chee koo koo Chee

Yu tou tou Yu

Chinese Name/ Name/ Chinese

Gauk dow dow Gauk

Lien ou ou Lien

Boh chi chi Boh

Doong gwa gwa Doong Chung Gwa Gwa Chung

Eleocharis dulcis dulcis Eleocharis Xanthosoma violaceum violaceum Xanthosoma Nelumbo nucifera nucifera Nelumbo Sagittaria sagittifolia sagittifolia Sagittaria Vigna unguiculata Vigna Benincasa hispida Benincasa

Latin Name/ Name/ Latin melo Cucumis

spp. spp.

Pot Pot

Minimum Minimum

7 diam diam 7

5 deep deep 5

(inches) (inches) 7 diam diam 7

25 gal gal 25

7 diam diam 7

Size Size

1/2-1 1/2-1

1 1

5 deep deep 5 5 deep deep 5

sesquipedalis sesquipedalis

Depth Depth

to Plant Plant to

(inches) (inches)

growing growing

1 1

2 (with (with 2

in Soil Soil in

surface surface

on soil soil on

tip visible visible tip

18-36/60-72 18-36/60-72

48-60/24 48-60/24

18-36/48-60 18-36/48-60

C . Petritz, Director, that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to programs and facilities facilities and programs to access and opportunity equal have shall persons all that Director, Petritz, . David Service, Extension Cooperative University Purdue the of policy the is It

without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, or dis or orientation, sexual status, parental status, marital age, origin, national religion, sex, color, race, to regard without

Water Water

(inches) (inches)

Depth Depth

3-5 3-5

3-6 3-6

Over Soil Soil Over

10 10

3-6 3-6

4-20/6-30 4-20/6-30

4-20/6-1 4-20/6-1

6-1/8-1 6-1/8-1

4-20/6-1 4-20/6-1

7-1/7-15 7-1/7-15

7-1/8-15 7-1/8-15

This material may be available in alternative formats. formats. alternative in available be may material This

When to to When

of frost frost of

Plant Plant

of frost frost of

after danger danger after

of frost frost of

after danger danger after

of frost frost of

after danger danger after

5-10/6-30 5-10/6-30

6-l/7-15 6-l/7-15

5-15/6-15 5-15/6-15

7-l/8-1 7-l/8-1

6-15/7-20 6-15/7-20

What to to What

Plant Plant

tubers or or tubers

tuber tuber

rhizome rhizome

or by by or

corms corms

seeds seeds

60-90 60-90

150 150

115-130 115-130

12 to 16-inch beans can be used as common as used be can beans 16-inch to 12

What/When What/When

to Harvest Harvest to

Similar to cantaloupe or honeydew. or cantaloupe to Similar

buds, flowers, flowers, buds,

tuber/all year year tuber/all

roots/end of of roots/end

“nuts” (corms)/ (corms)/ “nuts”

of growth growth of

foliage dies dies foliage

root) root)

All parts (young leaves, flower buds, both immature both buds, flower leaves, (young parts All

seed pods/as pods/as seed

season after after season

after 6 months months 6 after

to 8 ft. high. high. ft. 8 to

and mature fruit) may be used. be may fruit) mature and rhizomes (or (or rhizomes

soon as formed/ formed/ as soon

green beans. Grow on trellis or teepee supports teepee or trellis on Grow beans. green

http://www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/Pubs/menu.htm

Tubers are not edible raw. Like a slightly a Like raw. edible not are Tubers

nutty sweet potato, eat roasted or roasted eat potato, sweet nutty

Root similar to potato with rough skin. rough with potato to similar Root

Comments/Use

taro. Can be confused with Taro with confused be Can taro.

or cooked, as greens, in soups, in greens, as cooked, or

skin. Use like potato. Alsocalled blue Alsocalled potato. like Use skin.

“Chestnuts” form in mud at base at mud in form “Chestnuts”

links, reddish brown in color. in brown reddish links,

form. They resemble huge sausage huge resemble They form.

often used in fried, baked, or raw or baked, fried, in used often

All plant parts can be used, raw used, be can parts plant All

Peel tough skin, eat raw or or raw eat skin, tough Peel

of stem. Walnut size or smaller. or size Walnut stem. of

used in Chinese cuisine. Chinese in used

(

which grow in the mud) are most are mud) the in grow which

boiled. Also called swamp potato. swamp called Also boiled. etc. The “roots” (swollen stems (swollen “roots” The etc.

Colocasia esculenta Colocasia

ability. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action employer. employer. Action Affirmative an is University Purdue ability.

) which is also is which ) cooked. cooked.

Reviewed 11/01 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Page 5 of 5