Teczcape-An Escape to Food

Edible Chrysanthemum/ Crown Daisy or Shungiku is a floral-fragrant vegetable. They are often added to hotpots and enjoyed like any other "hotpot- friendly" vegetables such as Napa cabbage, Bok Choy, cabbage. 

This lovely great-tasting vegetable also serves as natural flavor enhancer in salad bowls and makes this delicious Edible Chrysanthemum Chicken Salad Bowl.

It can also be prepared as a chilled side-salad or appetizer-salad, make healthy sushi or Korean Kimbap/Gimbap or steamed with fish and/or tofu. 

Chrysanthemum Greens Shungiku (a.k.a Tong Ho) is not just for soup-based dishes (most common in hotpots). This mellow fragrant vegetables can be steamed e.g. Shungiku Tong Ho Steamed Tofu, Shungiku Tong Ho Steamed Fish, and prepared like a salad/side-dish appetizer e.g. Shungiku in Sesame Dressing.

Chrysanthemum Greens can also be stir-fried just like any other leafy greens e.g. spinach, kale, Bok Choy. Even better, Chrysanthemum Greens has a nice flowery fragrance, so the stir-fry tastes wonderfully delicious. Today, this Chrysanthemum Greens Mushrooms Stir-Fry is elevated with fresh earthy shiitake, finished off with briny bonito flakes - best enjoyed with steamed rice, cooked noodles, warm plain congee or cod fish porridge/congee. 

There is only one assurance for the lack of inspiration to put together entirely-new-and-creative dishes: the opportunity to revisit and redo some of my older recipes, and perhaps give them new life.

Today, the tofu (plant or vegetarian protein) in this recipe Edible Chrysanthemum Greens Steamed Tofu is replaced by snapper fillet. Not only an easy dish to prepare, this dish is also healthy and nutritious. Do not expect strong and robust flavors; but if you are into the light and fresh flavors of steamed fish complemented by the flowery scent of Edible Chrysanthemum (Shungiku), this is it.

With Edible Chrysanthemum (Shungiku in Japan, 茼蒿 Tong-Ho in Mandarin) , I usually think of making soup (yes, this is the vegetable that is popularly used in hotpots) or salad.

Today, this salad has a hint of spice imparted from Korean gochujang sauce-dressing. To deepen its flavor, sesame/tahini sauce was added, plus sprinkles of toasted sesame seeds.


This is an absolutely easy side-dish to make; and together with Korean Spicy Tofu or Korean Spicy Chilled Tofu (both easy side-dishes to make as well), pairs well with steamed rice.

Some alternatives don't work while some do. So, I made more couscous sushi! A more colorful version with the fresh crisp of organic bell peppers and cucumbers. Remember the Sesame-Dressed Shungiku I made earlier on? It can be enjoyed on its own or as an appetizer-side, and is great filling ingredient for sushi too!

Yet again I am making this salad. There is a choice of leafy vegetables to use. Previously I have tried the combo of organic baby chard, spinach, kale.


Now, I am making the same salad dressing for Edible Chrysanthemum (Shungiku in Japan, 茼蒿 Tong-Ho in Mandarin). The Edible Chrysanthemum from the Japanese supermarket is quite different - leaves are bright green and fresh-looking while stems are long, slender and much more tender; compared to those from the Chinese supermarket - where the leaves sometimes have wilted, appears dull green and the stems much more fibrous.

Not only is Shungiku suitable in soups/hotpots, there are definitely good for salads!

The simplicity and deliciousness of this dish cannot be undermined. I mean, it is tofu. And it is steamed. How can you ever imagined it to be tasty?

But it is.


When I saw the vegetarian steamed tofu from Little Inbox, I knew I gotta try it - just too easy to prepare (too hard to fail). Homemade taste and comfort. My kind of food. Of course, my dish - Steamed Tofu with Garland Chrysanthemum, Tomatoes and Mushrooms, looks completely different from what I was inspired from.  Don't ask me how it happened. Basically, I took back three (3) key words. TOFU ~ TOMATOES ~ STEAMED. Then add my (other) ingredients: carrots, mushrooms, Garland Chrysanthemum Tong-Ho, 茼蒿, green onions; and seasonings: ground white pepper, miso, sesame oil

Assembly in process...

To me, Tong-Ho 茼蒿 means hotpot! At least, that is what happens in Singapore, or rather in my family. The only time we have Tong-Ho is during Chinese New Year since this is the best time to find us enjoying hotpot.

I never found out more about Tong-Ho 茼蒿 (and other ways to cook it other than in soups!) till recently when I was sick for the whole month of February and March - down and out, attacked by some strange cold or allergy bug that caused me to cough like mad (accompanied by nasal congestion).

Then one day, my friend prepared a dish of Tong-Ho 茼蒿 Salad (almost similar to how this Chinese Celery and Tofu Salad - 芹菜拌香干 was prepared), asking me to try; and at the same time told me Tong-Ho 茼蒿 is quite good in relieving cough (reducing phelgm).