Shanghai Rice with Greens 菜饭
Shanghai Rice with Greens is featured among the local specialties of Shanghai.
Shanghai caifan (菜饭) combines rice with chopped greens. Many versions also contain cured pork or ham, and some use meat stock, so its literal name of vegetable rice does not establish a vegetarian meal.
How it is prepared
One published DayDayCook version cooks rice in chicken stock, then combines it with separately stir-fried greens and Jinhua ham. Another home recipe omits the meat but still uses chicken seasoning, illustrating why the whole ingredient list matters.
Flavour & texture
The grains carry the flavour of the greens and any cured meat. Preparation can range from soft rice mixed with vegetables to a pot-cooked serving with a browned crust; the latter is documented in Shanghai's local restaurant descriptions.
Local context & naming
Caifan is a rice preparation found in Shanghai home-style dining. It should remain distinct from a wok-fried rice dish and from cifantuan, the compact breakfast rice roll.
Ordering this dish
Ask specifically about ham, salted pork, lard and stock if you want a meat-free version. Confirm whether the menu portion is a side bowl or a larger shared pot before adding another starch.
At the table
Try a spoonful that includes rice and greens together. If a crust is served, compare it separately with the softer rice; do not assume every kitchen's version should have one.
Ingredients to check
Rice and greens are the base. Check pork, chicken stock, seasonings and cooking fat rather than relying on the word cai alone.
More dishes to compare
Explore related local specialties and compare their names, preparation notes and ordering guidance.
Shanghai Sticky Rice Breakfast Rolls 粢饭团 →
Cifantuan (粢饭团) is a compact Shanghai breakfast roll made with steamed sticky rice around a filling, commonly a fried dough stick. Sweet and savoury choices can look similar from the outside.
Red-Braised Pork Hock 红烧蹄膀 →
Hongshao tibang (红烧蹄膀) is a pork hock cooked slowly in a dark, savoury-sweet braising liquid. It brings skin, fat, lean meat and bone together in a substantial dish suited to sharing.
Questions before you order
Is caifan automatically vegetarian?
No. Documented versions include Jinhua ham, chicken stock or chicken seasoning, and salted-pork versions are also common on local menus.
Sources & reading
Identity, the described preparation and local context checked against the linked sources on 8 September 2026. Where a home recipe is cited, it is a documented example, not a restaurant standard. Ordering and serving suggestions are editorial guidance. No recipe testing, exclusive origin, current venue availability or dietary certification is claimed.
Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.
Image credits & notes (1)
- Jiangnan salted-meat vegetable rice (xianrou caifan), photographed in October 2014.Photo: 上海道台 · CC BY-SA 4.0Resized for the web; the photo itself has not been edited. Thumbnails may show a cropped view.
