Toon Buds (香椿芽) [Toona Sinensis]

The young leaves and shoots of the Chinese Toon Tree is used as a vegetable especially in Shandong Province in China, earning the tree its nickname "tree vegetable". Highly rich in aromatic substances - it is generally used in stir fries (especially with egg), in salads, frying, pickling etc.

 

Websites have advised two kinds of Chinese toon. One is called Purple Chinese Toon, of which the young leaves and buds are a purple or dark red color. The young shoots are strongly aromatic, rich in lipid andless fibrous. The other is Green Chinese Toon. The young shoots are less aromatic and contain less lipid.

 

I first encountered this "vegetable" in Shandong quite some time ago. I didn't even realised I ate it until I checked my receipt. My ex-assistant recently returned from Shandong and I asked him to bring back some fresh specimen to satisfy my curiosity.

 

I believe it was the Green Chinese Toon he returned with. The aroma isn't far from what I had tried to remember: Musty, Earthy, Herbal and Green. But when crushed, the buds do impart a slight alliaceous footprints on the fingers, like sweet onions.....intriguing!

Done