Bok Choy

Bok choy, or Chinese white cabbage, is a type of cabbage that with the long and thick white stalks ending in green leaves, they are readily available in most supermarkets. Bok choy is juicy and sweet in flavor, and in China, it is popular in stir-fries, soups, braised dishes as well. Also you may find a smaller version of bok choy - Shanghai bok choy, Shanghai cabbage, or baby bok choy, which has jade green leaves and stalks. Another version is called Choy sum, bok choy sum, or Chinese flowering cabbage, means the heart of the bok choy, choy sum has medium green leaves and tiny yellow flowers and a sweet flavor similar to bok choy, choy sum is loaded with calcium and much more expensive than the others.

Bok choy

All these three kinds of bok choy are available year-round in supermarkets, but the greatest selection maybe at Asian markets.

Celery or Swiss chard.

When choosing, select bok choy with thick, firm, and fleshy stalks, and crispy and bright green leaves. Avoid the leaves with wilted, browned spots.

Do not store boy choy after you have washed them, place unwashed bok choy in plastic bag in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator. It will only last for 2-3 days.

Cut off the hard base, then discard any wilted leaves or ones with browned spots, separate the stalks from the base, rinse thoroughly under running water, then pat dry, ready to cook.

Shanghai bok choy

Choy sum