Chaoshan Vegetable Tea (Chao Cai)
A vibrant traditional Chaoshan dish featuring mixed vegetables and seafood, lightly stir-fried and served with rice. This rustic comfort food from rural Guangdong combines the sweetness of corn, tender shrimp and squid, and earthy mushrooms into one satisfying bowl.
Story
Chao cai, literally meaning vegetable tea, is a beloved home-style dish from the Chaoshan region of Guangdong province. Despite its name, it contains no tea—instead, it's a generous mix of seasonal vegetables and seafood that families enjoy together, often served over steamed rice.
Ingredients
medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
150g
squid, cleaned and sliced
100g
fresh corn kernels
1 cup
shiitake mushrooms, sliced
4-5 pieces
napa cabbage, chopped
2 cups
carrot, julienned
1 medium
celery, sliced
2 stalks
garlic, minced
2 cloves
vegetable oil
3 tablespoons
salt
to taste
light soy sauce
1 teaspoon
sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
1
Prep the ingredients
Rinse all vegetables under cold water. Cut the napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces, julienne the carrot, and slice the celery at an angle. Clean the shrimp and squid, then pat everything dry with a clean towel.
2
Sear the seafood
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and squid, stir-frying quickly for about 1 minute until they turn opaque. Remove and set aside—this keeps them tender.
3
Cook the mushrooms
Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok. Toss in the mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes until they release their aroma and soften slightly. Push to the side.
4
Combine everything
Pour in the remaining oil. Add garlic and stir for 10 seconds until fragrant. Add the carrot and celery, cook for 1 minute, then toss in the napa cabbage and corn. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
5
Finish and serve
Return the seafood to the wok. Season with salt and soy sauce, then drizzle with sesame oil. Give everything a quick toss to combine. Serve hot over steamed rice.
