A CHINESE VEGETABLE POTPOURRI - Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard - page 104

DID YOU KNOW?
Daylilies thrive equally well in city or country, wherever you choose to put them. They're so decorative,
and they cheer up the dry, hot days of summer when it's hard going for other flowers. They're perennial,
so put them in a corner of the yard or the flower garden rather than the vegetable garden where you'll
have to work around them. They don't need the regular care and attention that vegetables usually require
and thrive more on neglect than on coddling.
CULINARY USES
The most esteemed part of the daylily is the bud. Since daylilies bloom for a day, you'll
always have a fresh crop to pick and can serve them as often as you like. You can gath-
er buds over a long period without harming plants. There seem to be more recipes for
dried than for fresh buds, but once you're become accustomed to cooking them, you
may find yourself making up new dishes for both forms.
GOLDEN NEEDLES . The Chinese call dried lily buds “golden needles,” an ingredient
you'll see in many Chinese dishes. In the market, golden needles are usually offered
in the form of a pressed, golden block that's cut to provide the number of ounces you
require. If you prepare golden needles from your own garden, store the dried buds
(without pressing) in any container that will keep out moisture. They are 2 to 3 inches
long.
Once dried, the buds will keep a long time. To use, soak in warm water for about
30 minutes. Squeeze dry, and cut into lengths the size of the meat and vegetables in
your dish. (All ingredients in Chinese cooking are traditionally cut into similar sizes,
small enough to be eaten with chopsticks without needing a knife.) The harder bits of
stem should be snapped off before the buds are added to a dish. Dried lily buds are
very nutritious.
CHINESE-STYLE . A typical Chinese dish combines mushrooms, shredded pork, scal-
lions, and water chestnuts with (soaked) dried daylily buds. Start by stir-frying the
foods that require longer cooking, and add the others one by one. Finally, add soy
sauce, cornstarch, sugar, and a little sesame oil for flavoring along with a small amount
of chicken broth or other liquid. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with rice.
JAPANESE-STYLE . Cook the fresh buds tempura-style.