634710 Tue Jul 07 15:39:36 -0700 2009 3 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4837529 Much of my mom's Cantonese-Chinese cooking never used much of the Chinese preserved vegetables so I have a few questions. 1) What are the differences between Sichuanese ya cai, Sichuanese zha cai, and Tianjin dong cai? 2) What makes Yibin's (a city in Sichuan) ya cai (historically) better than other versions? 3) Are there certain brands of ya cai or zha cai for which I search in my local Chinese supermarkets (SF Bay Area)? thanks! Tue Jul 07 15:39:36 -0700 2009 11745 Cary 1 4863350 I don't know northern food, but ya cai is dark coloured and a little sweet, and usually comes chopped quite fine (though I have also seen it sold as bundles of narrow stalks). It uses the younger stalks of the plant. Yibin's mustard plants are ideal for making ya cai and the warm damp climate there is perfect for the microorganisms that develop during the fermentation, supposedly. It's a required component of Yibin ran mian. zha cai usually comes in huge chunks or slices, is light yellow green, and has no sweetness. It uses the bottom stem/root of the more mature mustard plants. Thu Jul 16 05:42:26 -0700 2009 4837529 15802 pepper_mil 1 4987299 I use szechuen preserved vegetable in Dry Sautee Green Beans..comes in a can, red & yellow, White Rabbit Brand. I have found it several times before, but not lately, piled loose in container in Oriental grocery. The one I use is 'whole' which I chop..mustard tuber, chili powder, salt, you can rinse if you like...it is 'dry' in the can. I have been using this canned brand for about 20 years..I keep unused in baggie in refrigerator..keeps 'forever'. Fri Aug 28 17:31:06 -0700 2009 4837529 1105376 fastfeasts 1 4987874 I wouldn't call any of the varieties (If that's even the right word) better than any one of the other. The differences lie in the brining solution (e.g. ratio of salt to sugar, or vinegar to ginger, etc.) and how long the veggies are allowed to sit in the brine, and of course the different types of vegetables used. If you are going to buy any type of Chinese preserved vegetables, buy fresh, not canned. In SF, just about any larger Chinese market should have bins of whole, uncut preserved veggies to choose from. Go with these. Experiment until you find one variety that suits (1) your tastes; (2) cooking style; or (3) both. Fri Aug 28 23:56:38 -0700 2009 4837529 11583 ipsedixit