Bok Choy / Pak Choy

Also known asPak Choi · Bok Choi · Pak Choy · Chinese White Cabbage · Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis · 青江菜 · 小白菜

Name: Bok choy or pak choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) — a Chinese cabbage with crisp white stalks and dark green, spoon-shaped leaves. A separate Leafy Green Vegetables page also covers it from the leafy-green side, and baby bok choy has its own page.

Description

Bok choy has been grown in China for more than 1,500 years and is a staple of Chinese cooking. Its name comes from the Cantonese for “white vegetable.” It is closely related to turnips and napa cabbage, rather than to Western cabbages, and does not form a tight head.

The plant has two textures in one: the stalks are crisp and juicy, with a mild, sweet flavour, and the leaves are tender and slightly mustardy. Bok choy has spread worldwide and is a popular choice in stir-fries, soups and steamed dishes.

Main nutrition value

Bok choy is a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A (as beta-carotene), calcium and folate, for very few calories.

How best to be consumed

Bok choy cooks very quickly, and is best not overcooked.

1. Halve or quarter lengthwise, rinse well between the layers to remove grit, then steam or stir-fry for a few minutes.
2. Add to soups, noodle dishes and hot pots in the last minutes.
3. Cook with garlic, ginger and oyster or soy sauce, as in classic Chinese cooking.
4. Add the stalks first and the leaves a moment later.
5. Store unwashed in the fridge for up to a week.

Overconsumption could cause…

Bok choy is safe in food amounts.

1. Possible effects on warfarin and similar blood-thinning medicines because of the high vitamin K content, so keep intake steady rather than avoiding them.
2. Bloating and gas, since cruciferous vegetables contain raffinose and other fermentable carbohydrates.
3. Possible effects on thyroid function in people with an underactive thyroid or iodine deficiency if very large amounts are eaten raw, since brassicas contain goitrogens; normal cooked servings are fine.
4. A lot of added salt if cooked heavily with soy or oyster sauce.

GroupsCruciferous VegetablesLeafy Green VegetablesCruciferous (cabbage family)Low fatLow sodiumRich in vitamin CChineseFresh

Related foodsGai Lan / Chinese BroccoliNapa Cabbage / Chinese CabbageMustard GreensWatercressRocket / ArugulaKale

Wikipedia — Bok choy, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bok_choy