Blanched Choy Sum with Oyster Sauce

Remove any old leaves and flowers from the choy sum. Trim about 2cm off the hard, old ends of the stems.

For thicker choy sum stems, make two cross-cuts at the bottom of the stem to help them cook faster. For thinner stems, a single cut is sufficient.

Separate the choy sum into two piles: leaves and stems. This allows for separate blanching to achieve optimal doneness for each part.

Soak the cleaned choy sum in water with 1 tsp of salt for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly under clean water. Drain well.

Bring a wok of water to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp cooking oil to the boiling water. These additions help the vegetables retain their vibrant color and enhance flavor.

Add the choy sum leaves to the boiling water. Blanch until the color deepens, then remove immediately with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a serving plate.

Add the choy sum stems to the same boiling water. Blanch for 10-15 seconds until tender-crisp, then remove and arrange them on top of the leaves on the serving plate.

Clean the wok. Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in the wok. Add 1 tbsp oyster sauce and stir-fry until fragrant.

Pour in 200ml water or stock. Season with 0.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp light soy sauce. Bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp potato starch with 2 tbsp water to create a slurry. Turn off the heat under the sauce. Gradually add a small amount of starch slurry to the sauce, stirring constantly, until it reaches a slightly thickened consistency. This is the first thickening.

Turn the heat back on. Continue stirring the sauce. If it's not thick enough, add more starch slurry (second thickening), stirring until it reaches a medium consistency.

If a thicker sauce is desired, add a final, smaller amount of starch slurry (third thickening) until the sauce is rich and glossy.

Stir in 1 tbsp onion oil to enhance the aroma and shine of the sauce.

Pour the prepared oyster sauce generously over the blanched choy sum on the serving plate.