Petchay is best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as steaming, boiling, grilling, braising, and sautéing. When used raw, the stalks and leaves can be shredded and mixed into slaws, or chopped and added to salads for a crunchy bite.

Petchay is most popularly utilized in cooked applications and can be sliced and incorporated into soups and stews or chopped into a filling for potstickers. The leaves and the stems can also be stir-fried or sautéed with other vegetables and meats to create a balanced main dish, and in Asian countries, the cooked greens are finished with sauces composed of oyster, soy, or hoisin sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil.