- Arugula | Key Growing Information
- Growing Salad Gardens: An Ultimate Guide by Niki Jabbour | Hensley’s Webinar Series
- Baby-Leaf Brassica Greens | Key Growing Information
- Baby Leaf Greens & Baby Leaf Lettuce | Technical Production Guide
- Celtuce | Key Growing Information
- Claytonia | Key Growing Information
- Cress Greens: Watercress & Upland Cress | Key Growing Information
- Asian Greens | 10 Varieties + 5 Easy Recipes
- Greens for All Growers | A 3-Tiered Approach to Production & Marketing
- Mâche/Cornsalad | Key Growing Information
- Magenta Spreen | Key Growing Information
- Malabar Spinach | Key Growing Information
- Mustard Greens | Key Growing Information
- Orach (French Spinach) | Key Growing Information
- Pac Choi Varieties (Bok Choy) | Comparison Chart (PDF)
- Pac Choi (Bok Choy) | Key Growing Information
- Purslane (Portulaca oleracea sativa) | Key Growing Information
- Salad Mixes | Key Growing Information
- Salad Greens & Microgreen Mixes | Guide (PDF)
- Sorrel | Key Growing Information
- Webinar Slide Deck | Lettuce & Greens for Southern Growers | PDF
- Baby Leaf Greens: 12 Picks for Market Growers | Hensley’s Educational Webinar Resources
- Lettuce & Greens for Southern Growers | Hensley’s Educational Webinar Resources
- Vegetable Amaranth | Key Growing Information
- Jang Seeder: How to Maximize Its Potential | Hensley’s Educational Webinar Resources
- Winter Growing Guide | Part 6: Recommended Crops & Varieties
- Asian Greens | Key Growing Information
Asian greens from Hensley’s: more than salad mix
10 standout Asian greens to grow, with 5 simple recipes
In this guide
- Mizuna
Recipe: Stir-Fried Mizuna - 'Green D 70 Improved' Choi Sum
Recipe: Stir-Fried Choi Sum with Garlic - 'Koji' Tatsoi
- 'Carlton' Komatsuna
- Mini/Baby Pac Choi
- 'Amara' Mustard
- 'Green Wave' Mustard
Recipe: Indian-Style Fried Mustard Greens - 'Shungiku' Edible Chrysanthemum
Recipe: Korean Shungiku Banshan - Malabar Spinach
- 'Spring Tower' Celtuce
Recipe: Stir-Fried Celtuce - More resources
We're especially proud of the Asian greens in the Hensley’s lineup. Not long ago, seed for many Asian vegetables was hard to come by in North America, and many gardeners saw them as exotic. Now home cooks and chefs can choose from a broad range, and it pays to buy good seed from a trusted source.
A Japanese farmers' market
Local growers' produce in the spotlight at a farmers' market in Japan, where fresh greens are a centerpiece of shopping whether at the supermarket or the market stall.
Tastes have become far more global, yet these greens can still be hard to find in many places, even though chefs and home cooks love them for their looks, versatility and especially their distinctive flavors. They're also quick and easy to grow, packed with nutrients, and mostly simple to cook. Plenty of reasons to grow your own.
To spark some experimenting in the garden and kitchen, here are 10 familiar and lesser-known Asian greens, along with 5 easy recipes that take only minutes. (We're skipping salad mixes here, though many of these greens are used in them. We've also included 'Amara', which comes from Africa but fits right into Asian cooking.)
Naturally these greens show up in stir-fries and soups, but they can also be braised, grilled, steamed, roasted and much more. Across Asian cuisines, from Thai, Cambodian and Korean to Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Pakistani, vegetables play a starring role, often sharing the plate equally with protein or taking center stage. Look up recipes online or in your favorite cookbooks, and don't be shy about improvising.
1 • Mizuna
A salad-mix staple, mizuna is also great cooked at full size in stir-fries, fried rice and soups. It's very mild and tender, so it cooks in no time.
Stir-Fried Mizuna
This quick side dish lets mizuna's gentle flavor shine.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch mizuna (about ¾ lb or 12 oz), cut in 2–4" lengths
- 1 Tbsp oil (peanut, grapeseed or coconut work well)
- Salt, soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a wok or skillet on high for a minute, then add the oil.
- Add the mizuna and stir-fry 1–2 minutes, just until tender.
- Season with soy sauce or salt and serve.
Note: You can also steam the mizuna for a few minutes instead.
2 • 'Green 70 D Improved' Choi Sum
Choi sum is a hugely popular vegetable in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China, yet in the US it's mostly found at Asian grocery stores. That's a shame, because it's tender, a little sweet, and terrific in stir-fries and soups. Cut it just before or as the first few flower buds open; you can harvest more than once.
Stir-Fried Choi Sum with Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 lb choi sum, cut in 2–3" lengths
- 1 Tbsp oil (peanut, grapeseed or coconut)
- 2 big garlic cloves, sliced or minced
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Blanch the choi sum in boiling water until barely tender, about 45 seconds.
- Drain and set it aside.
- Heat a wok or skillet on high for a minute, then add the oil.
- Stir-fry the garlic until it begins to color.
- Pour in the soy sauce and water and cook 1 minute.
- Toss in the choi sum and serve.
3 • 'Koji' (F1) Tatsoi
This hybrid tatsoi is more uniform and better looking than open-pollinated types, with glossy, deep green leaves and a rich, satisfying flavor. Use it in stir-fries and salads.
4 • 'Carlton' (F1) Komatsuna
Sometimes called Japanese mustard spinach, komatsuna has dark green, full-flavored leaves. Add it to soups and stir-fries, or use it in place of napa cabbage for a bolder kimchi.
5 • Mini/Baby Pac Choi
'Li Ren Choi' and 'Little Shanghai' are genuine baby pac choi, with well-proportioned, full heads at the small size. These little favorites of the Hensley’s team are quick to prep and can go on the grill whole or halved, or be sautéed, braised or stir-fried. Space plants 2–4" apart for small 3–4" heads.
6 • 'Amara' Mustard
Of African origin and nutritious, this dark green mustard goes by many names, including Ethiopian kale, highland kale, Abyssinian mustard and Texsel greens. In Ethiopia it's cooked with onions and spices into a flavorful side dish. Recipes online often call for kale or collards, which are easier to find, but 'Amara' works well in their place, and it's also excellent in Asian soups.
7 • 'Green Wave' Mustard
Hot and peppery raw, this mustard keeps only a hint of heat once cooked. Use it in an Indian-style side dish or in Asian soups and stir-fries. It's also a Southern US staple: just simmer or steam it until tender with a little salt and pepper. For more flavor, steam it partway, then finish it in a skillet.
Indian-Style Fried Mustard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 lb mustard greens, shredded (or substitute green cabbage)
- 2 big garlic cloves, roughly chopped or sliced
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp mustard seed
- ½ tsp ground fenugreek
- 1 tsp whole cumin seed
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp hot pepper flakes (adjust to taste or leave out)
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- 2 Tbsp oil (peanut, grapeseed or coconut)
- Water as needed
Instructions
- Heat a wok or skillet on high for a minute, then add the oil.
- Cook the garlic until it just begins to color.
- Stir in all the spices for about 30 seconds.
- Add ¼ cup water and stir.
- Add the greens and cook to the tenderness you like, adding a spoonful of water at a time if the pan gets dry.
Note: This recipe is very forgiving. Cook the greens briefly for some crunch or longer until soft, and adjust or skip any spices to suit your taste.
8 • 'Shungiku' Edible Chrysanthemum
Also called garland chrysanthemum, shungiku has a distinctive aroma and a flavor unlike any other green. Start picking leaves when plants reach 4–8" tall; they'll keep producing for several weeks. For market, cut and bunch whole plants. It's great in salads and pickles and in many cooked dishes.
Korean Shungiku Banchan (side dish)
Korean meals typically come with several small side dishes, sometimes more than a dozen, called banchan, and kimchi is always among them.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch shungiku (about ¾ lb or 12 oz)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (black preferred, or white)
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Steam or blanch the shungiku until tender.
- Drain, cut in 1–2" pieces and put in a bowl.
- Heat a small pan (cast iron is ideal) on high, add the sesame seeds and toast until they start popping.
- Tip the seeds onto the shungiku right away, since they scorch fast if left in the pan.
- Add the sesame oil and salt and toss well.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
9 • Malabar Spinach
This heat-loving vine needs a trellis. It's slow in cool spring weather but takes off once it warms up. Mild in flavor, Malabar spinach goes into Indian soups and curries and also works in stir-fries or, in small amounts, salads. Raw leaves are a bit slippery in texture; if that's not for you, cook them, which tones it down a lot.
10 • 'Spring Tower' Celtuce
Celtuce, which comes from China, is a lettuce bred for a thick, edible stem. It tastes pleasantly and mildly bitter in spring and fall, and more bitter in summer, though only unpleasantly so after very hot weather. Stir-fry it Chinese-style or eat it raw.
Stir-Fried Celtuce
Ingredients
- 2 cups julienned celtuce
- 1" knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- ¼ tsp hot pepper flakes, or to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp oil (canola, peanut, soybean, grapeseed or coconut)
Instructions
- Peel away the tough outer skin of the celtuce and cut it into matchsticks.
- Blanch in boiling water until barely tender, about 1 minute.
- Drain and set it aside.
- Heat a wok or skillet on high for a minute, then add the oil.
- Stir-fry the ginger and pepper flakes until the ginger just starts to color.
- Add the celtuce and salt, cook one more minute and serve.
More on Asian vegetables
These 10 greens are only a small sample of the Asian vegetables and herbs Hensley’s carries. If you haven't grown Asian greens yet, try a few of these specialty varieties in your garden and kitchen this season. If you already love them, set aside a little more space to trial a new one or two. You might also want to grow Asian broccoli, radishes, squash, cabbages, cucumbers, beans, turnip, and eggplant, as well as basil, shiso, lemon grass and more Asian herbs, which are as handsome as they are flavorful and well worth a place at the table.
Learn More
- Asian Greens • Key Growing Information
- Celtuce • Key Growing Information
- Pac Choi (Bok Choy) • Key Growing Information
- Pac Choi (Bok Choy) Comparison Chart • PDF
- Mustard • Key Growing Information
- Malabar Spinach • Key Growing Information
- Greens for every grower: a 3-tier marketing approach • article
