bok choy varieties

Varieties. Bok choy is commonly found in two main varieties: the standard white-stemmed type, and Shanghai Bok Choy, which has emerald green stems.

What is the difference between bok choy and pak choy?

Pak choi and bok choy are of the same plant. ... Pak choi, or bok choy, is also called pe-tsai, petsay, Chinese white cabbage, and white celery mustard. It is a Chinese cabbage with leafy, green leaves and white stalks. Pak choi, or bok choy, mostly grows in Asian regions like the Philippines, China, and Vietnam.

What is the difference between baby bok choy and Shanghai bok choy?

Baby Bok Choy has white stalks and dark green, crinkly leaves with a more mineral taste. Shanghai Bok Choy has wide, jade-colored stalks shaped like soupspoons and light green smooth leaves with a more mild, celery-like flavor. Both can be used interchangeably.

Is Napa cabbage same as bok choy?

Napa cabbage is sweeter than bok choy, though (and of course much more delicate in flavor and texture than regular cabbage). Bok choy falls in the bitter greens direction, but also cooks up tender and mild. I often use either in the same kind of dishes depending on what's available.

What is the difference between Chinese cabbage and bok choy?

Bok choy is more flavorful than napa cabbage

Bok choy, or Chinensis, on the other hand, is the other main group of Chinese cabbage. ... The stalks of bok choy are more fibrous. Therefore, it is common to remove the leaves from the stalks to cook the stalks first. This is also why bok choy is so good in stir fry.

What is the best way to eat bok choy?

Remember, you can eat bok choy stalks raw with dip or chopped fresh for salads. Otherwise, depending on your recipe, you'll want to cook it quickly so the stalks stay crisp and the leaves get tender. For stir-frying, add stalks first and green leaves a minute or two later, towards the end of cooking.

What is the taste of bok choy?

Bok choy or Chinese white cabbage (brassica rapa spp. chinensis) is a staple ingredient in Asian dishes. The tender dark green leaves and crisp off-white-colored stalks provide a nice fresh crunch. The greens have a spinach-like taste with a very mild bitterness.

Do you eat the white part of bok choy?

Bok Choy, also known as Chinese White Cabbage, is a cruciferous vegetable that is a member of the cabbage family. It has a round tender white bulb on the bottom with long celery looking stalks and dark leafy greens on top. The entire vegetable is edible and can be enjoyed either raw or cooked.

Can you eat too much bok choy?

Don't eat too much bok choy. Bok choy is a super food. It is low in calories and high in fiber and water. Bok choy gives your body almost all of the micro nutrients that it needs.

What vegetable is similar to bok choy?

Bok Choy. Replace bok choy with Swiss chard, long stem broccoli, broccoli, Chinese leaves (Napa cabbage), green heart cabbage, or spring greens.

Is there another name for Chinese cabbage?

Today in Mandarin Chinese, napa cabbage is known as dàbáicài (大白菜), literally "big white vegetable", as opposed to the "small white vegetable" that is known in English as bok choy. Other names include Chihili or Michihili. Outside of Asia, this vegetable is also referred to as Chinese cabbage.

Do you eat the white part of Napa cabbage?

What can one do with a head – or three – of this crisp and delicately-flavored vegetable? Napa cabbage, also known as Chinese or celery cabbage, is milder and sweeter than regular cabbage. Its white stalks and crinkly, pale green or yellow leaves may be eaten raw or cooked.

Is bok choy a cabbage?

Bok choy might look a lot like celery, but it's a member of the cabbage family. The Chinese have been cultivating the vegetable for more than 5,000 years.

Is bok choy healthier than spinach?

In equivalent raw weight, bok choy contains more vitamin C, vitamin A, and some other nutrients than spinach and around the same amount of calcium. Spinach, however, contains higher amounts of some other nutrients, including vitamin K, than bok choy.

Is Chinese cabbage healthy?

Napa cabbage contains many antioxidant plant compounds and is high in dietary fiber. Some scientific studies suggest consuming napa cabbage in a diet can help to protect the body from cancers and help to lower LDL levels. 2 Napa cabbage is an incredible resource of folic acid and Vitamin B.

Can I substitute bok choy for Napa cabbage?

Substitute for Napa cabbage

If you don't have Napa Cabbage or just would like an alternative, you can substitute equal amounts of: Bok choy - Use either baby bok choy or the standard large bok choy. OR - Swap out with green cabbage. This cabbage will take longer to cook.

What can I do with a lot of bok choy?

10 Ways To Use Bok Choy That's Not A Stir Fry

Braised Bok Choy. If you want to infuse your bok choy with rich flavor, braising the greens is a smart solution. ...
Roasted Bok Choy. ...
Serve Bok Choy Like Celery. ...
Bok Choy Soup. ...
Bok Choy Fried Rice. ...
Bok Choy Salad. ...
Accessorize Sandwiches with Bok Choy. ...
Grilled Bok Choy.

What meat goes well with bok choy?

Pork is a common meat choice for stir-fries, so it's not surprising that it pairs so well with bok choy. For a side dish, try sauteing or stir-frying bok choy leaves with bacon, pancetta or salt pork. A simple stir-fry of pork slices and bok choy could be a main dish.

How do you get the bitterness out of bok choy?

Stir the bok choy in and toss in the oil for 15 seconds.

That's a good sign. Make sure the garlic and ginger don't burn, or this dish will taste quite bitter.

Is bok choy poisonous?

Toxic effects

Bok choy contains glucosinolates. These compounds have been reported to prevent cancer in small doses, but, like many substances, can be toxic to humans in large doses, particularly to people who are already seriously ill.

How do you cut and cook bok choy?

Separating the leaves and stems ensures that this crisp-tender vegetable will cook evenly.

Trim the bottom inch from the head of bok choy. ...
Cut each stalk in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ¼-inch-wide pieces.
Stack the leafy greens and then slice them crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips.

How do you prep bok choy?

To prepare the baby bok choy cut it in half, then rinse it under the faucet. If you're using regular size bok choy, you can cut a small portion off the base then remove the individual leaves to rinse. Baby bok choy can be cooked as halves, but I'd recommend slicing regular bok choy into smaller pieces before cooking.