Stir-Fry Chinese Celery

Written by
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Rhonda Parkinson
Updated 04/08/21
Stir-Fry Chinese Celery

The Spruce / Christine Ma
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
110 Calories
4g Fat
17g Carbs
4g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 110
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 363mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 4g
Calcium 98mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Chinese celery is somewhat different from the celery that typically line most produce shelves in American supermarkets. It has a much stronger flavor than Western celery, and the stalks of Chinese celery are thinner, often with a hollow middle. And although more slender than the celery we use for tuna salad and Bloody Marys, it is recommended that you gently crush the celery stalks before adding to a recipe, which will result in better texture and more flavor. Chinese celery is rarely eaten raw as it is pungent and somewhat peppery; when cooked, however, it becomes sweet and mellow with a pleasant, soft texture.

If you can’t get hold of Chinese celery then you can use the celery found in your grocery store instead, but be aware the flavor won’t be the same. 

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Ingredients

  • 8 to 10 ounces Chinese celery
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or peanut oil)
  • 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  • 1 chili (seeds removed and julienned)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken broth (or water)
  • 2 teaspoons rice wine (or shaohsing rice wine)
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Stir-Fry Chinese Celery Recipe Ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Get rid of all the leaves and roots on the celery stalks.

    Get rid of all the leaves and roots on the celery stalks

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Rinse the celery and drain.

    Rinse the celery

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Place celery on a cutting board and use your hand to press down on the celery stalks to gently crush them.

    use your hand to press down on the celery stalks to gently crush them

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Slice the celery stalks into 1-inch-long sections.

    Slice the celery stalks

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Heat up a wok with oil at high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chili and stir-fry until the fragrance comes out.

    Heat up a wok, add the garlic and chili

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Add celery and stir-fry until it turns slightly dark green.

    celery cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Add the stock and cook for 30 seconds.

    add stock to the celery in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar and mix evenly.

    Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar to the celery in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Cook until the mixture is nearly dry.

    Stir-Fry Chinese Celery in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

All About Chinese Celery

When you purchase Chinese celery from Chinese supermarkets, it usually comes with leaves and roots which you will need to get rid of, along with any dried up stalks, before you add to a recipe. In general, Chinese people don’t eat Chinese celery leaves, but in recent years it has been reported that the Chinese celery leaves have more nutrition than the stalks. Perhaps this will lead to interesting Chinese celery leaf recipes in the future.

Chinese celery recipes often include sliced dried tofu, julienned beef, pork or chicken, or cross-cut squid or cuttlefish. Feel free to choose any of those ingredients to stir-fry with Chinese celery.

Chinese celery is a good source of vitamin A and K and minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. It is also high in folic acid, niacin, and vitamin C, which are all essential for optimum metabolism. In addition to its nutritional value, celery is also very low in calories.

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