Pak Choy or Bok Choy
Due to floods this product is in extreme shortage
This is essentially the same plant as Bok Choy (or Bok Choi or Chinese Cabbage). It is great to eat for vitamin C, iron, beta carotene, vitamin A, calcium and folate.
Prepare Bok Choy by chopping up and separating all stalks, then wash thoroughly before cooking.
There are four main varieties are:
Chinese white-stemmed (we call this Bok Choy): around 30cm high, light to dark green leaves often curling outwards, white leaf stalks that are, wide, shortish and generally flat. Great in stir fry.
Shanghai green-stemmed (we call this Pak Choy / Pak Choi): broad, flattish lighter green and smoother stalks, wide at the base and generally harvested when 15cm tall. Generally used for salad, but also used in stir fry.
Squat canton type: short compact variety with wrinkled dark green glossy leaves and white stalks. Sometimes harvested early as 'Baby Bok Choy' as it has a good heat tolerance.
Soup-spoon type: growing up to 45cm in height, this variety has cupped leaves with white stalks.
- Freshest in autumn to early spring
- Good to boil, steam, sauté, stir fry, Asian dishes.
- Store (unwashed) in fridge crisper in airtight bags, or place in a cup of water. Freeze in airtight bags only if you blanch it and dry off the leaves.
