Pea shoots + Yau choy

Pea shoots have long been prominent in Asian cuisine, but they're one of the newer ingredients showing up in U.S. farmer's markets.Their soft leaves, curly-cue tendrils and watery stems hold the promise of spring peas to come. But even better than that, they hold the flavor of them, too.And one of the reasons home cooks are taking to them (apart from their flavor) is because they're rich in nutrients.

Yu choy is a leafy vegetable that produces fleshy stalks 20-30 cm high with oval-shaped leaves. The branching stems are slender, crisp, smooth, and pale green, and attached to the stems are broad and flat, dark green leaves that have prominent veining spanning across the surface. There are also small, bright yellow flowers that first appear as green buds in loosely compacted clusters of 10-20 buds. The leaves, stems, and flowers of Yu choy are all edible and have a crunchy, tender consistency. Yu choy has a sweet, green taste similar to baby spinach, with subtle bitter and peppery notes.