Product information

Everything about choi sam

What every professional kitchen needs to know about choi sam: origin, flavour, preparation and storage.

What is choi sam?

Choi sam (菜心), also known as choy sum, is a leafy vegetable with delicate yellow flowers and thin stems. In Cantonese cuisine it is regarded as one of the most prized vegetables, partly for its refined flavour and attractive presentation with the small blossoms.

The name literally means 'heart of the vegetable', referring to the tender flower stalks at the centre of the plant. Choi sam cooks faster than pak choi and has a more delicate structure.

菜心choi samchoy sumChinese flowering cabbage

Origin & tradition

Choi sam is a distinctly Cantonese vegetable, with most cultivation concentrated in Guangdong and Hong Kong. Outside China, Malaysia and Singapore are major producers for the export market.

In traditional dim sum culture, choi sam is almost always served fresh alongside steamed dishes. In Hong Kong, delivery speed determines quality in restaurants.

Flavour & texture

Choi sam has a mild, slightly sweet flavour without pronounced bitterness. The flowers add a subtle freshness. The stems are juicy; the leaves soften quickly but do not lose their colour.

In Chinese cuisine, choi sam is a daily restaurant vegetable in Cantonese eateries. In Vietnamese cuisine it is called cải ngọt and is stir-fried or blanched. In Indonesian cuisine, caisim is one of the most widely consumed vegetables — standard in mie goreng and bakmi. In Japanese-Chinese restaurants as a side dish. In Korean restaurant kitchens as a versatile green vegetable.

Kitchen applications

Stir-fried on high heat with garlic and light soy sauce — Cantonese street food
Indonesian caisim: base of mie goreng and bakmi
Vietnamese cải ngọt — stir-fried or blanched as a side dish
Steamed and served with dim sum or congee
Side dish in Japanese-Chinese restaurants alongside wok dishes
Korean restaurant kitchens as a versatile green side vegetable

Storage & freshness

Store at 1 to 3°C in damp paper or a lightly moistened bag. The flowers are sensitive to dehydration and warmth.

Use preferably within 2 days. Yellowing of the flowers is a sign of ageing. The flavour changes noticeably at that point.

Professional kitchen tip

Choi sam requires very little cooking time: 60 to 90 seconds in the wok is sufficient. Overcooking makes the stems watery and causes the flowers to lose their colour.

Never place blanched choi sam on a warm plate, as the residual heat will carry over and result in a limp texture.

Fresh Choi Sam delivered daily to your kitchen

Choina delivers fresh Asian produce every morning to restaurants and wholesalers across the Netherlands and Belgium — Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Antwerp and Brussels. No minimum order.

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