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Seasonal vegetables

This beloved vegetable dish is so named because of its main ingredient, lotus roots.

Vegetables• [Boiling/Poaching]• [Stir-frying]

Lotus pound stir-fry (荷塘小炒)

A signature tofu dish from the city of Tianjin, China. Shrimp, mushrooms, green peas, snow peas, and peacuts add layers of flavors and textures to the tofu.

Soybeans and tofu• [Stir-frying]

Eight-treasure tofu, Tianjin style (天津八珍豆腐)

A beloved Yunnan rice dish with potatoes and ham.

Rice, noodles, and grains• [Simmering]

Yunnan rice with potatoes (云南洋芋焖饭)

Braising vegetables with soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine is frequently used in the cooking of Ningbo (宁波). Cooking radishes this way tames their peppery taste and turns their texture from crunchy into tender and juicy.

Vegetables• [Simmering]

Soy-braised radishes, Ningbo style

Daylilies have been used in Chinese cooking for centuries. In the refreshing salad, the subtle flavor of daylilites works harmoniously with the cucumber and carrots.

Cold dishes and salads• Vegetables• [Boiling/Poaching]

Daylily salad with cucumber and carrot

In China, medicinal and culinary usages of mugwort, called Ai Cao (艾草) in Mandarin, date back for thousands of years. Its floral aroma, reminiscent of chrysanthemums, makes this soup unique and refreshing.

Soups and stews• Vegetables• [Simmering]

Mugwort soup with fingerling potatoes and beech mushrooms

Eating spring pancakes (春饼) is a time-honored tradition in northern China, to celebrate the arrival of spring and pray for a good harvest. A bite of the pancake symbolizes a bite of spring (咬春).

Dumplings, dim sum, and snacks• Vegetables• [Pan-frying]

Spring pancakes with asparagus, eggs, and Chinese sausage

Fermented black soybeans, called douchi (豆豉) in Mandarin, add layers of flavors to the dish and contrast nicely with the grassy and sweet asparagus.

Vegetables• [Stir-frying]

Stir-fried asparagus with fermented black beans