The cabbage variety from Asia with a delicate crunch
Pak choi can be boiled, stir-fried, roasted in the oven or eaten raw. Its mild aroma with a hint of mustard makes it a delectable addition to Asian dishes, but also our local cuisine. Read on to learn all about this tasty cabbage variety.
Just a few decades ago, pak choi was considered an exotic vegetable found only in Asian restaurants and takeaways. But this flavourful member of the cabbage family has long since made its way into European cuisine. With its green, short-stemmed leaves that grow in a cluster, pak choi is reminiscent of our native spinach or chard. It has a distinctive taste with hints of mustard, which is why it is sometimes known as Chinese mustard. Pak choi leaves taste slightly bitter, while the stem is much milder.
For centuries, pak choi has been a staple of Asian cuisine used in salads as well as in rice and wok dishes. It originally comes from China and is closely related to Chinese cabbage. Pak choi thrives in the humid and warm climate zones of Asia. However, this cabbage variety is now also grown in many places in Europe, mostly in greenhouses.
Pak choi is easy to digest and high in vitamin A and vitamin C. Rich in phytonutrients, it also helps to protect the body's cells. Regular consumption can slow down the ageing process. Pak choi comes in several varieties – so-called baby pak choi, which is smaller and milder than the standard variety, is especially popular.
| Category | cabbage |
|---|---|
| Calories | 12 kcal per 100 g |
| Nutrients | 1 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fat, 1 g protein per 100 g |
| Season | May to September |
| Storage | wrap in a damp cloth or plastic bag and store in the refrigerator |
| Shelf life | one to two days |
Boiled, blanched, stir-fried or eaten raw – there are many possibilities when it comes to preparing pak choi. Before you start, be sure to wash the leaves thoroughly. Then separate the leaves from the stems by tearing them off or slicing them off with a knife. Take care to remove the base of the stalk before you continue processing the vegetable. Next, cut the pak choi into bite-sized pieces. Basically, all parts of the vegetable can be used. Slicing the thick stems into smaller pieces will speed up the cooking process.
Pak choi can be prepared quickly and easily in a frying pan: start by heating a little oil in the pan. After about three minutes, add the pak choi leaves and season with salt, pepper and a dash of soy sauce. Alternatively, pak choi makes a great choice for the grill. If you want to prepare pak choi on the grill, there is no need to cut it into pieces. Simply place the whole vegetable on the grill and cook it on all sides.
Raw food lovers should know that pak choi is completely safe to eat raw; this exotic vegetable is the perfect ingredient for smoothies or salads. Eating it fresh instead of cooking it in a pan or wok means most of the valuable nutrients will be preserved. Adding veggies such as tomatoes and olives or Asian ingredients like bean sprouts and sesame, you can quickly toss up a delicious pak choi salad. In smoothies, pak choi harmonizes particularly well with bananas, fresh spinach leaves and orange juice.
MyFooby Login
You must log in to your MyFooby account to save recipes. Still no account? Register now!
Log in with Supercard IDNo Supercard ID yet?
The Supercard ID is the unique login for all of Coop’s digital services.
Register for Supercard IDChoose a cookbook
Like this recipe?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
L'article te plait ?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
Do you want to remove this recipe?
Do you want to delete the recipe permanently and remove it from all cookbooks?
Supprimer l'article complètement ?
Do you really want to delete this article from your cookbook?
Successfully saved!
Saving failed!
Please log in!
Log on now – easily and conveniently – to FOOBY with your Supercard ID, save the shopping list on all your devices and benefit from additional advantages.
The recipe has been saved in your shopping list under myFOOBY.
Unfortunately, the shopping list was not saved.
Like this recipe?
Now you can user your Supercard ID to log in to FOOBY easily and conveniently and make use of all the functions and advantages.
Choose a cookbook:
L'article te plait ?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
Supprimer l'article complètement ?
Do you really want to delete this article from your cookbook?
Remove recipe?
Do you really want to remove this recipe from the cookbook?
Delete the entire recipe?
Do you really want to delete this recipe from your cookbook?
Successfully saved!
Like this recipe?
Log in with your Supercard ID to have access to a cookbook with your favourite recipes from all your devices.
L'article te plait ?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
