It's easy to see why kun choi is called Chinese celery. Like the European celery, a 'head' of Chinese celery is composed of many stalks attached to a base. But Chinese celery stalks are hollow and much thinner. Crisp and delicate, the flavour is more intense than that of European celery.
The two celeries are used in different ways. If European celery isn't being eaten raw - either sliced and mixed into salads or cut into batons and used as part of a crudite platter - it's usually cut into small dice, along with carrot and onion, and used as a mirepoix or sofrito, where these ingredients form a base for soups, stews or braises. Chinese celery is treated more as a seasoning and for textural contrast: it's not cooked until soft, so its flavours stay distinct.
When buying Chinese celery, use the same criteria as you would with the European type: the stalks should be firm and the delicate leaves should be unwilted.
For a cold side dish, cut kun choi into 4cm pieces then blanch them for about 30 seconds in salted boiling water. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Dry the pieces with a clean dish towel, then put into a bowl and mix with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, salt to taste and a little minced garlic. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
It's also delicious stir-fried with pork. Marinate sliced pork with soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and a little sugar, salt, ground white pepper and cornstarch. Heat oil in a wok and add a halved garlic clove and a couple of slices of fresh ginger. Stir fry for about 30 seconds then add the pork and cook until it loses its pink colour. Add the kun choi and stir-fry briefly over a high flame. Add a splash of water to the wok then lower the heat, cover with the lid and simmer until the meat is cooked and the kun choi is crisp-tender. Stir in a few drops of sesame oil then serve.
