Chinese toon is a popular aromatic garnish microgreen in Asian dishes. It’s tender, has a unique aroma and appetizing flavor that resembles the onion. Chinese toon is a perennial hardwood, which is a member of the Meliaceae family. Chinese toon microgreens are a nutritional, healthy gourmet vegetable and are more popular in China. Prominent in Chinese culture, the Toona sinensis has been recognized for its medicinal purposes.The young leaves of T. sinensis are extensively used as a vegetable in China; they have a floral, yet onion-like flavor, attributed to volatile organosulfur compounds. Plants with red young leaves are considered of better flavor than those where the young leaves are green.In China and Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, the young leaves of Toona sinensis or commonly known as Chinese Mahogany is used to make Toona paste, which is used as a condiment to serve with plain rice porridge as breakfast and simple meals, or to enhance the flavor of a dish or soup. Common dishes made with Toona paste are Chinese Mahogany fried rice, Chinese Mahogany beancurd, and Chinese Mahogany mushroom soup.
In Chinese, the tree is also often mentioned to symbolically represent the father in Chinese poetry and literature.
