Ji You Cai Xin

Vegetarian dishes are common throughout China. Historic religious influences and rituals played a part, but the availability of so many different vegetables, especially soybeans, had a practical influence. In this traditional dish the Chinese cabbage is first stir-fried, then it is slowly braised in chicken stock. The stock would then be reduced, thickened, and finally enriched with chicken fat. I omit the chicken fat; the dish is tasty enough without it. The “cream” sauce is chicken sto