Dragon Chives Qing Long Cai

Qing Long Cai (Green Dragon Chives)

Enjoy the tender bite and mild aromatic flavour of Qing Long Cai, a Chinese chive-style vegetable commonly used in quick stir-fries and home-style Asian cooking. Also searched as qing long cai, Chinese chives, green dragon vegetable, dragon vegetable, dragon chives, chinese leek, koo chye, ku chye, 青龙菜, 青龍菜, 青龙 菜 English, 青龍 菜 or 北葱, this vegetable is suitable for garlic stir-fries, dried shrimp stir-fries, tofu dishes, egg dishes, seafood, noodles and simple vegetable sides.

Qing Long Cai has soft green leaves with a tender texture and a gentle chive-like aroma. Compared with stronger garlic chives, it is usually milder, less fibrous and pleasant for fast wok cooking. A simple stir-fry with garlic, ginger, dried shrimps and a little oil brings out its natural sweetness and savoury fragrance.

Origin: Malaysia.

Qing Long Cai Quick Facts

Taste and Texture

Qing Long Cai has a fresh green aroma with a mild chive-like flavour. It is less sharp than stronger garlic chives and works well in simple stir-fries where the vegetable remains the main focus.

When cooked quickly over high heat, the leaves become tender while keeping a pleasant bite. Avoid overcooking, as delicate chive-style vegetables can lose their aroma and become too soft.

• Fresh Qing Long Cai for stir-fry dishes
• Also known as green dragon vegetable and dragon chives
• Mild Chinese chive-style aroma
• Tender texture with less fibre
• Good with garlic, ginger and dried shrimps
• Suitable for tofu, egg, seafood and noodle dishes
• Best cooked quickly and served immediately

Qing Long Cai, Green Dragon Vegetable and 青龙菜

Qing Long Cai is commonly translated as green dragon vegetable. In Chinese, it is written as 青龙菜 in simplified Chinese and 青龍菜 in traditional Chinese. Some customers may also search the spaced form 青龍 菜.

For customers searching 青龙 菜 English, the best English names are Green Dragon Vegetable, Green Dragon Chives, Dragon Chives or Chinese chives, depending on how the label of the product.

Koo Chye, Ku Chye and Chinese Chives

Koo chye and ku chye are local spelling variations often used for Chinese chives or garlic chives. Customers searching koo chye in English are usually looking for Chinese chives, garlic chives or Chinese leek.

Qing Long Cai is closely related in eating style to Chinese chives, but it is often sold as a more tender green dragon vegetable. Use the current product photo and supplier label as the final reference if you need a very specific chive variety.

北葱 Note

Some customers may search 北葱 when looking for chive-style or onion-family vegetables. Market naming can vary, so this page uses Qing Long Cai (Green Dragon Chives) as the main product name and includes 北葱 only as a related search term.

This product should not be confused with spring onion, scallion, yellow chives, garlic cloves, leek or regular onion unless the current product photo or packaging states otherwise.

How to Cook Qing Long Cai

Qing Long Cai is best cooked quickly. Rinse well, drain thoroughly and cut into shorter sections before stir-frying. A hot wok helps the vegetable cook fast while keeping its aroma and colour.

• Stir-fry with sliced garlic and light seasoning
• Add dried shrimps for a savoury home-style dish
• Cook with ginger, garlic and a little oil
• Pair with wheatgrass tofu or beancurd
• Add to egg dishes or omelettes
• Use with prawns, seafood, chicken or pork slices
• Add to noodles, rice dishes or simple vegetable sides
• Serve immediately after cooking for best texture

Simple Qing Long Cai Stir-Fry

For a simple Qing Long Cai recipe, heat oil in a wok, add garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add Qing Long Cai and stir-fry quickly. Season lightly with salt, oyster sauce, light soy sauce or mushroom sauce.

For a stronger local flavour, add dried shrimps before the vegetable. Cook only until the leaves soften slightly and the stems remain tender.

Chinese Chives vs Green Dragon Chives

Chinese chives usually refer to garlic chives / koo chye / ku chye, which can have a stronger garlic-like flavour. Green dragon chives or Qing Long Cai are usually described as tender, mild and less fibrous.

Nutrition Information

Qing Long Cai is usually eaten as a fresh leafy vegetable and aromatic Allium-style green. These are general nutrition notes and are not lab-tested values for the current batch. Exact values may vary by growing method, harvest stage, storage and cooking method.

Qing Long Cai can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. This is general food information and should not be treated as medical advice. This product page should not claim that the vegetable prevents colds, lowers blood pressure, fights cancer, improves memory or treats any medical condition.

How to Choose Qing Long Cai

Choose Qing Long Cai with fresh green leaves and firm, tender stems. The vegetable should not look slimy, badly yellow, blackened or heavily wilted.

• Choose fresh green leaves
• Look for tender stems with good colour
• Avoid slimy or mouldy leaves
• Avoid badly yellow or blackened sections
• Avoid strong sour or rotten smell
• Use soon after purchase for best aroma and tenderness

Storage and Handling

Keep Qing Long Cai refrigerated after delivery. Wrap lightly with a moist paper towel, place in a produce bag or ziplock bag, and store in the vegetable drawer.

Do not leave the vegetable at room temperature for too long. Wash only before cooking unless you are preparing it for same-day use. If washed in advance, drain and dry well before storing.

• Refrigerate as soon as possible after delivery
• Wrap lightly with a moist paper towel
• Store in a produce bag, ziplock bag or container
• Do not wash before storage unless drying well
• Wash and drain before cooking
• Cut only when ready to cook
• Use within a few days for best aroma
• Discard if slimy, mouldy, sour-smelling or badly wilted