Bok Choy

Photo: CAL

About

Bok Choy is Chinese cabbage.There are two distinctly different groups of Brassica rapa used as leaf vegetables in China, and a wide range of varieties within these two groups. The binomial name B. campestris is also us. Another reason that bok choy is becoming popular to use, besides its similarity to cabbage, is because of its nutritional value. One half cup of raw bok choy, which is approximately 56 grams, contains only 10 calories. Additionally, bok choy contains no fat or cholesterol and is a good source of calcium. It is also low in sodium and high in vitamins C and A.

Information

Other names: White Cabbage (arabic) سلق, Brassica Rapa Chinensis, Chinese Cabbage

Translations: Bok choy, チンゲン菜, بوك تشوي, 복 쵸이, בוק צ 'וי, Бок Чой, बॉक Choy, Бок Чой, 白菜, Бок Цхои, Бок Choy

Physical Description

Look for thick, full, firm, white stalks with shiny, dark green leaves. Baby bok choy will have light green leaves.

Colors: Green and white.

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Sweet, bitter

Mouthfeel: Juicy, Stringy

Food complements: Soy sauce, Lemon, Oil, Garlic, Sesame oil

Wine complements: Rice wine

Beverage complements: Tea

Substitutes: Chinese broccoli, Napa cabbage, Green chard, Celery

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, june, july, september, november, december

Choosing: When purchasing bok choy, select stalks that are pure white and firm. Additionally, look for leaves that are dark green and non-wilted. Do not select bok choy that has any brown spots on its leaves, as this type of bok choy is less flavorful. Baby bok choy, which is a younger version of bok choy, should also be purchased according to these standards.

Preparation and Use

Cleaning: Examine the bok choy carefully. If it is tightly packed, it probably will have less dirt inside. If it's more loosely packed, it is probably older and dirtier.
Remove the outer leaves, particularly if they are dirty or disheveled in any way. Discard them in your usual manner.
Cut off the base of the bok choy. The leaves all connect to a base that is attached to the roots of the plant while it is growing. It resembles celery or chicory far more than it resembles round cabbages. It should slice very easily with a sharp chef's knife.
Pull the individual leaves of bok choy apart and rinse them with cold, running water from your faucet. A sprayer-type faucet is very helpful when rinsing vegetables such as this, but it is not necessary if you do not have one.
Examine each leaf as you clean it. Mostly,the leaves inside will be pristine and ready for you to cook after you have cleaned them. However, you may occasionally find a leaf that is past its prime or otherwise looks unfit for your recipe. It is important to weed these out or trim them as necessary before cooking.

Conserving and Storing

Once purchased, you can safely store bok choy in your home for up to several days provided that you refrigerate the bok choy in a plastic bag as soon as you arrive home with your purchase.

Social/Political

History: The Ming Dynasty pharmacologist Li Shizhen studied the Chinese cabbage for its medicinal qualities. Before this time the Chinese cabbage was largely confined to the Yangtze River Delta region. The Chinese cabbage as it is known today is very similar to a variant cultivated in Zhejiang around the 14th century. During the following centuries, it became popular in northern China and the northern harvest soon exceeded the southern one. Northern cabbages were exported along the Grand Canal of China to Zhejiang and as far south as Guangdong.

They were introduced to Korea, where it became the staple vegetable for making kimchi. In the early 20th century, it was taken to Japan by returning soldiers who had fought in China during the Russo-Japanese War. At present, the Chinese cabbage is quite commonly found in markets throughout the world.