Even if bok choy (also known as pak choi) is unfamiliar to you, you have probably had it at your local Chinese restaurant without knowing it. It's especially popular in won ton soup as well as many stir-fry dishes served in both Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Bok choy one of 33 varieties of Chinese cabbage, but the only one that seems to have caught on in the United States. It can be found at your local supermarket year-round.
Nutritional Value
If you're looking for a vegetable that's rich in potassium and vitamin A, bok choy is your veg. Other vitamin and mineral components of the plant are vitamins C and B6, folic acid, calcium, iron, beta carotene, and dietary fiber. According to Natures-Health-Foods.com, "The rich amount of beta-carotene inherent in this super vegetable can help to reduce the risk of certain cancers."
Look
Bok choy looks a bit like celery and cabbage came together and made a baby. It has long crunchy stalks with wider leaves at the top. The white stalks look very much like celery, but without the stringiness. If the stringy part of celery is the part you can't stand, you could fall in love with bok choy. The dark green leaves look more like Romaine lettuce than traditional European cabbage leaves.
Taste
You probably walk past bok choy at the supermarket every week because it's not as familiar to you as other forms of cabbage. If you like celery and Swiss chard, you'll probably enjoy bok choy. Think of it as a cross between lettuce and cabbage, and you'll get a closer idea of how bok choy tastes. If you eat bok choy raw, be sure it's very fresh so you can avoid a bitter taste. Raw, the stalk produces a great crunch similar to iceberg lettuce. Some think the green leafy part of the plant tastes a bit like spinach. Choose steamed baby bok choy for a sweeter taste. Experiment with different varieties and ways of preparing bok choy to find the one you prefer.
Varieties
Bok choy comes in many different varieties, some of which you're likely to find only in Hong Kong, but others you will find readily at your local Asian market. Shanghai bok choy, known more commonly as baby bok choy, is popular in part because recipes often ask for the whole plant, so there is no chopping necessary during prep. Baby bok choy is also more tender and sweet than the larger varieties. Another well-known variety is bok choy sum, also called Chinese flowering cabbage because of its small yellow flowers. The whole plant usually isn't sold, but only the parts that can be cooked. Bok choy sum can be more expensive than other varieties.
Tags: choy also, like celery, your local, baby choy, different varieties, whole plant