Crisp & Fresh, Pickled & Fried

The vegetables in western China tend to be pickled or stir-fried in a multitude of dishes. Various types of aubergines, ranging from white to deep purple, slender to plump, and tiny to large, are available all year round. They are deep-fried, then stir-fried with a medley of flavoursome ingredients in the classic dish Shredded Aubergine.

Crunchy beansprouts pop up almost everywhere, eaten raw or stir-fried. Bamboo shoots are prolific here because of the sub-tropical climate, and have a chameleon-like quality, absorbing other flavours while at the same time imparting their own distinctive scent.