Bok Choy

Filed under: Leaf Vegetables, Tagged as: bok choy

Bok choy is sometimes called Chinese cabbage. You may also find it by its Cantonese variation, pak choy, and you may also find it by the names white cabbage and Chinese chard.

As if the names were not confusing enough, if you look for bok choy at the farm market you may find the same plant in one of its many incarnations: seedling or “baby”, mature, and flowering. Bok choy does not look the same in its differing stages of growth.

To this, you can add various varieties of bok choy: Canton or dwarf bok choy, Shanghai or green-stemmed bok choy, Taiwan or Fengshan bok choy and additional variations known as choy sum, tatsoi, and yau choy.

Bok choy originated in China. “Choy" or “choi” is the romanized word for the Chinese character that means “vegetable.” “Bok” or “pak” means white. Sometimes the word “sum” is added, which means “heart.”

The best way to navigate the world of bok choy is to talk to the growers at the farm market and to try bok choy in as many of its incarnations as you can.

The bok choy most commonly found in markets is Canton or dwarf bok choy. It is short and squat with plump, pearly-white stalks that are tender, very juicy, and bland tasting. Dwarf bok choy’s leaves are dark green, somewhat curled, looking a bit like the leaves of chard. They have a cabbagey flavor.

“Baby” bok choy is used to describe both the dwarf Canton bok choy and other bok choys picked small and immature.

Either way expect bok choy cooked right to have a light, refreshing taste. Expect overcooked bok choy to be mushy and dull tasting.

To prepare mature bok choy, cut the head in half lengthwise or into quarters and wash it thoroughly under the faucet or soak and dunk it in water until the stalks are clean of any dirt or sand from the garden. Baby bok choy can be rinsed without cutting it in half.

Trim the base and discard blemished leaves. Separate the stalks as you would celery. Shred the leaves from the stalks. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Cut the stalks lengthwise and then crosswise, again into bite-sized pieces.

You can stir-fry or steam the leaves and stems. The leaves will cook almost instantly. The stalks can simmer for about 5 minutes, or you can boil the stalks in salted water for a minute or two and then drain.

For the most delicate flavor, cook bok choy until just cooked and not a moment longer.

Pictured above: Canton bok choy

Posted by Stephen Albert on April 28, 2008 under: Leaf Vegetables , Tagged as: bok choy
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