I’m really frustrated by the lack of information about Chinese food and vegetables on the web. I go to the local grocery and buy some “yau choy” from the produce section, and then come home to find only 3 hits when I look for recipes on google, and none of those have actual recipes for it. I found out it’s also called “oil seed rape” or “broccoli rabe.” The first sounds dirty, and the second sounds like a a underground techno party for vegetarians with colds. I see a lot of chinese cookbooks out there, but since I don’t know if any of them are any good, or authentic, or whatnot, I have no idea what to buy.
This goes along with my frustration at identifying the dish “Ling Gao with Sezuan Pickles,” which is served at King Fung Garden in Boston’s Chinatown only if you ask nicely (since it isn’t on the menu). Ling gao seems to refer to small 1-2″ long noodles that are oval, thick, and chewy. But I can’t find any information anywhere about these noodles, where to get them, what else they might be called, etc.
California has great produce, only I have no idea how to cook most of it. It’s not that I can’t make something up, but I would rather have some recipe at least point me in the right direction.
An Ergodic Walk 
“…underground techno party for vegetarians with colds.” Jesus, man. That was awful. I’m proud of you 🙂
I think it’s pronounced “Broccoli Rob,” which sounds like a sleazy black market vegetable dealer. If I’m not mistaken, it gets used in lots of Italian cooking. If I’m not mistaken.
and you’re not mistaken, adam. broccoli rabe is a very popular contorno. in fact, we just made some here chez winnie (or da winnie, if i keep my euro-extractions consistent) in traditional italian style: sauteed in olive oil with a little minced garlic and chlie pepper flakes (oh, and seasoned of course). from my saveur cookbook, pugliese-style: cook in a bit of olive oil for 10 mintues in a covered pan (stirring occasionally so it does not stick). after draining most of the accumulated liquid from the pan, add 1 peeled clove of garlic, 2 bay leaves, and 1/3 c dry white wine and about 5-6 tbsp olive oil. season to taste with S&P. reduce heat to medium-low and cook until liquid has been absorbed (~20 min).
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In case you still haven’t found any more info in these past few years, ling gao is, in mandarin, nian gao, and you want the shanghai noodle stuff; on google you will find more hits for the cantonese cake/pudding which has exactly the same name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nian_gao
Wow, thanks! Maybe local restaurants still have some since New Years was recently…