Dim Sum Vegetables

With descriptive text and images, we strive to be the main source for learning how to make delicious Cantonese vegetable dishes here at Unfamiliar China. We have detailed instructions for what seasonings and techniques to use for tasty Cantonese fried vegetable dishes. You’ll also find fascinating legends and history behind Cantonese vegetable culinary culture.

Check out our Cantonese dim sum vegetable recipes below!

Chinese Vegetables

It is a custom for Chinese to include a plate of greens with their meals, and many find fried vegetables delicious. Cantonese vegetable dishes both look and taste great, with a light flavor and an exquisite attention to ingredients. This makes them one of the most popular regional vegetables.

What does “fancai” mean?

In China, staple foods and non-staple foods are together referred to as fancai. Fan refers to staple foods made with rice, wheat, millet or other grains. The word cai originally referred to vegetables. The word yao, on the other hand, referred to meat. However, because in Chinese cuisine vegetables play a more dominant role than meat, meat came to be lumped together with the term cai, so that now the word cai refers to both meat and vegetables – non-staple foods.