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Pak Choi / Bok Choi |
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Pak Choi (also known as bok choi or Peking cabbage) is a Chinese cabbage.
It's commonly used in stir fry and spring rolls.
Being in season from October to March makes it a common autumn and winter veg box ingredient.
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About Pak Choi (Bok Choi) |
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Pak choi originally comes from China, but has become popular in European food, particularly in the UK, with the increase in popularity of Chinese cooking.
It's relatively easy to grow and is high in vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid and calcium, as well as many essential minerals.
Its season is usually from about October through to March, though "baby pak choi" are now available as early as August, extending the season.
This veggie was once spurned by UK shoppers, but now it's becoming increasingly popular, as we all work out what to do with it!
Just as well, since it's a good source of betacarotenes, vitamins B2 and B6, folic acid, iron and magnesium, as well as calcium.
Did you know...?
1 cup of cooked pak choi contains 15% of your recommended daily allowance of calcium - the equivalent of 1/4 pint of full fat milk. |
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How To Choose |
| Choose bok choi that has firm stalks and fresh-looking leaves. As they deteriorate, the stalks go slimy and the leaves go limp, so watch out for these signs. |
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How To Store |
| Keep in the fridge for up to a week - less if possible. Don't wash before storing or it will go slimy. |
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How To Use |
Separate the leaves and wash well.
The green leaf is often cooked separately to the much thicker, paler stalk.
In a stir fry, cut off the stalks and slice. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding the leaves for 2 minutes.
The inner leaves are more tender and work well, raw, in salads. The tougher, outer leaves taste better cooked.
Use in stir fries, chopped in salads, braised, roasted or add to a soup for the last few minutes of cooking.
For a quick recipe, chop the pak choi and steam for 3-4 minutes. Serve with soy sauce.
Quick Idea
The leaves taste great in salads - just shred them. Keep the stalks for use in stocks or other recipes. |
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Suggested Recipes |
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| Ginger And Garlic Pak Choi |
Pak choi goes really well with ginger and garlic – which are both so-called “superfoods” and immune system boosters. So this recipe is not only tasty, but good for you. Whatever next?!?
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| Pak Choi And Tofu Stir Fry |
This delicious pak choi recipe takes just a few minutes and makes a warming evening meal. Combining the pak choi with tofu, mushrooms and beansprouts in a stir fry sauce gives a lovely mixture of soft and crunchy textures. And it's really good for you, too!
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| Winter Stir Fry |
Stir fries are a real fast food, yet they’re healthy. The trick is to prepare all the ingredients before you start cooking. The sauce with this stir fry is delicious, but feel free to miss out the egg if it doesn’t suit your diet.
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Got one? Send us your pak choi recipe!
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