Braised Green Beans and Leafy Vegetables – Better Taste

National Senior Culinary Technician Zhao Liang

Beans and leafy vegetables such as cabbage are relatively 'hard' and difficult to stir-fry quickly, so it's best to braise them.

The specific method is to first quickly stir-fry the vegetables in a wok, then add a small amount of water, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to simmer. During the simmering process, it increases the pot's temperature, making the vegetables easier to soften and absorb flavor. Also, calculating the time it takes to cook and bring out of the pot is shorter than stir-frying, which can, to some extent, reduce vitamin loss. Furthermore, this braising method also helps break down toxins in beans.

In addition to vegetables with a relatively 'hard' texture, such as leafy greens and winter melon, you can also use the 'braising' method to cook them. This not only helps retain nutrients but also improves the taste and is very suitable for elderly people and children with poor appetites. The specific method is to first put a small bowl of water to boil, add a spoonful of fragrant oil, and then add mushrooms, dried shrimp, or sea snails to enhance the flavor. You can also add meat slices, meatballs, or shrimp meatballs for extra flavor. If you prefer a richer flavor, you can use leftover chicken broth, meat broth, or bone broth. If you don't have any of these broths, you can first sauté chopped green onions and garlic in a small amount of oil, then add a bowl of water and a suitable amount of dried shrimp, bring it to a boil, and then add the vegetables to cook. Winter melon takes a long time to cook, while leafy green vegetables only need to be simmered for two minutes until they are soft enough, then turn off the heat to avoid vitamin loss from heat.