Wosun

Wosun is the Chinese name for a type of lettuce that is selected and grown primarily for its stem. Wosun is very popular in China and Taiwan, where it has been cultivated since at least 600-900 AD.

1 December 2021

Other names for Wosun include AA Choy, Stem lettuce, Celtuce and Asparagus lettuce. Wosun is the name for the fleshy stem, the leaves are generally prepared separately and are called Youmaicai.

Summer feels properly here today and the garden is really starting to breathe and dry. We had record rains this spring~ its been challenging managing the rising water table below, and the rain from above. In the garden we’ve been practicing:
~ Learning to sleep on the pillow of doubt ~

We’ve made it to summer with you ~ and we are very humbled to grow the beautiful plant Wosun, and introduce it into the box this week.

Wosun has a mild flavour and a crisp, moist texture, and can be eaten raw, stir-fried, steamed or pickled.

To prepare Wosun, remove the Youmaicai leaves and keep them aside for later. Peel and julienne the stem into matchstick slices.

Vivian Aronson 袁倩祎, prepares stir fried Wosun

The Youmaicai leaves are a reasonably bitter lettuce leaf, similar to romaine. They are wonderful stir fried as you would bok choy or gai lan.