Colorful Garlic Chive Stir-Fry (Qi Cai Qiao Cai Si)

Why people make this dish

You may know xie bai by another name — pickled garlic chive bulbs, those crunchy, tangy morsels you find in Japanese bento boxes or Chinese condiment jars. But the fresh plant, sold with its tender green leaves still attached, is something quite different: fragrant, mildly pungent, and — when stir-fried quickly — delightfully crisp. In traditional Chinese food therapy, xie bai is considered warming and pungent, traditionally linked to supporting the flow of qi and yang energy, making it a classic choice for people who feel bloated or sluggish after meals. Combined with black wood ear fungus and carrot, this colourful dish becomes a cheerful, everyday side dish that tastes good and takes care of you at the same time.