February 2006
Shida
by Celia Cheng
BOILED CHINESE BROCCOLI RABE
dressed with sesame oil and sesame seeds,
served cold
Chinese generally don’t eat cold dishes. We do have some starters like jellyfish and other cold cuts, but there is definitely no habit of eating vegetables cold. This dish is inspired by the Japanese ohitashi — boiled spinach served cold with either sesame or soy sauce. Shida’s brilliance strikes once again as he chooses to forgo spinach and uses Chinese broccoli rabe instead, which is much softer in texture. Dressed in sesame oil and sesame seeds, this dish acted as a course in itself but also severed as palate cleanser between heavier dishes. Such a simple idea that makes you wonder how a vegetable could taste so light and so good.
